To Tame a Demon
by CherylB1964
Summary: Drake is half vampire and half demon. He finds someone that can tame his demon half. This is my first attempt at something a little smutty so please be gentle. This is the prologue to a much longer story check the update.
1. Chapter 1

"Come along Scud," Danica said pulling him along the corridor. Scud had no idea why he had been brought to the lower levels, to the private chambers. The décor here was dark and ominous like what you would expect in a medieval torture chamber. Questions ran through his mind but he knew better than to ask them.

"I have chosen you to entertain a special guest." Danica said. "You will do as he bids. If you displease him in any way you will be punished."

Danica stopped and opened a door. Scud swallowed to gather his courage then stepped inside, flinching as the door slammed shut. He stood in an arched entry way. Ahead he could see a warm flickering glow.

"Come closer, little human." a deep voice said from the darkness. "Step into the candlelight. I would see what Danica Talos offers me now."

Scud forced his trembling limbs to action. He found himself in a large chamber. A huge bed dominated the space. Scud swallowed a strangled scream as he saw what stood next to the bed. His mind screamed demon. There was no other word to described the huge creature.

Close to seven feet tall, all of it was hugely muscled. The bare chest rose and fell rhythmically with it's breathing. The inhuman features of it's face twisted into a parody of a smile as it smelled the fear radiating from the human. It felt it's massive cock twitch in anticipation.

It studied the young man the bitch had brought as a sacrifice to it's lust. Stepping forward it reached out a hand running a large finger gently along the familiar's's jaw, feeling the the young man cringe in fear. The dark hair was just short of shoulder length. The young man's blue eyes were wide with fear, and filled with a dark wisdom that should have been unknown to one so young.

"Your terror intoxicates me." The demon laughed. "I like my prey to fear what is to come and your fears will be realized little one."

Scud barely managed to suppress a scream as the creature circled behind him and placed it's hands on his shoulder's, gently pulling his body back against its own. One huge paw slid around his waist and pressed against his belly pressing him back so he could feel the hardness against his lower back. The demon chuckled.

"Such a pretty little sacrifice, what are you called, human."

"Sc-Scud." he managed to stammer as the demon slowly unbuttoned his shirt and jacket sliding them off of his shoulders to drop to the floor. Scud felt himself being turned in the creature's embrace until he was facing it.

"Well Scud, for tonight you are mine. This scares you and you have good reason to be afraid. You will scream for me at first, but by the time this night is over you will only be capable of whimpering in pain when I take you. It is your fear and pain that will sate my hunger."

Scud understood exactly what the demon was saying as he felt the massive shaft pressing against him. It was freakishly large, even in proportion to the rest of the creature. The demon's fingers were at the waist of his pants removing them to leave him naked and vulnerable.

Scud gasped as he was scooped up, cradled in the demon's arms as it carried him to the bed. Scud's eyes squeezed shut in terror of what was to come. And yet somewhere deep inside of him he responded to the gentleness of this monstrous creature. Gentleness was something he had not experienced for a long time. In the past 10 years all he had known was brutality. Each one of his owners had seemed determined to outdo the last in the level sadistic brutality they subjected him to.

The demon seemed to read his mind. "Brutality is not necessary to cause you pain, my size alone is sufficient. I have no wish to kill you or seriously injure you." The creature fastened a manacle around Scud's right wrist before gently flipping him onto his stomach. The creature continued until each of Scuds limbs were manacled and he was unable to move. "Nor do I wish you to cause injury to yourself by struggling.

The demon set about preparing Scud to accept him, gently probing his tight entrance with one large oily finger. Scud felt his body relax at the gentle touch and even begin to enjoy the slow probing. Scud felt his cock hardening, twitching each time the finger brushed his prostate. He shivered as the pleasure built and the dam burst. Scud shuddered with the force of his orgasm.

The demon smiled as Scud spent his seed. Not giving Scud a moment to catch his breath, the creature began the slow process of claiming the young man's body. Scud did a complete 180 from moaning in pleasure to screaming in agonized pain while the demon shivered in pleasure. The demon slowly, gently but relentlessly worked it's way into Scud's restrained body, savoring the sound of the young man's screams.

* * *

Drake stretched his long limbs as he shifted to his human form. It had been a long time since the demon within him had been so completely satisfied. This unassuming young familiar had managed to sate the beast. The demon lay still within him.

Drake released Scud from his restraints. Drake was pleased that he had chosen to take care with this one. Something about Scud had intrigued the demon causing it to treat him with care. Scud's response was intoxicating. Even through the fear, there had been desire. The slightest gentle touch and he had responded.

Drake made a decision. The demon was sated for now but in time it would return. Drake felt his cock hardening one more time. This time he would take Scud in his human form.

Scud whimpered as once again he felt himself being stretched open. Drake as a man was nowhere near the unholy size of the demon, but he was still well endowed. Although painful, the gentle thrusts of this smaller cock against his prostate brought a pleasure to blend with the pain.

Drake brushed the longish dark hair aside, baring Scud's neck. He sank his fangs into Scud's jugular timing the bite to Scud's orgasm. A second later Drake was spending himself deep inside of Scud's body and injecting the semi-conscious younger man with the venom that would transform him from a simple familiar to the vampire lover of Drake's demon side.


	2. To Tame a Demon update

This story ended up expanding into 18 Chapters. Since there is quite a bit of ehem, Adult content included (Courtesy of Drake and Scud) I've posted the complete story at adult fanfiction. net. It's listed under the same title there.

Warnings include Anal, BDSM, D/s, M/M, S&M, along with a little violence to spice things up!


	3. Chapter 3

Scud stood in front of the full length mirror running his hands along the smooth flesh of his chest and stomach. The scars that had marred his flesh for so long were gone. The nightmare of the night he agreed to let the two female vamps mark him in order to meet Blade was was a distant memory. The memory of another lifetime.

Scud sighed, sensing Drake approach before the vampire's image was reflected in the mirror. Drake reached out to gently brush Scud's hair aside before placing a gentle kiss behind the slighter man's ear.  
"You are worried." Drake observed as Scud let his head fall back against Drake's bare chest.

"B won't be happy to see me." Scud said worrying his bottom lip with his fangs. "He thinks I'm dead. Not only am I not dead, I'm a vampire."

"You are not what he is used to facing. I sired you. You carry my gifts." Drake said tracing his fingertips lightly along Scud's stomach. "Is this not proof enough that you are different from them?"

Scud closed his eyes remembered that night long ago when he had awakened deep in the bowels of the Talos building confused and hungry, held in Drake's embrace. Memories of a demon, of pain and of pleasure flashing through his mind.

It had taken some time for him to completely grasp the fact that the man now standing so close behind him was the demon. But he had been reminded several times over the past years when the demon rose, hungry to feed upon him again. Last night it had risen again and Scud had received the final gift of his vampire sire, his own demonic form.

Scud had gained the ability to shift several months ago. He couldn't turn into a bat like Bela Lugosi, but any human form yes. Last night when Drake's demonic form had manifested, Scud had felt the wrenching pain of his own bones shifting and like Drake he had become something else, something that children feared hid under their beds or in their closets. When the sun rose this morning he had like Drake, returned to his human form; minus the scars he had lived with for so long.

The shifting was just one of the gifts he had received from Drake, he was also a daywalker. And not a half-breed like Blade but a full vampire. A breed of vampire more ancient and powerful than what the humans feared, what Blade feared.

"There is nothing for you to fear, Blade will not harm you. He needs us now just as much as we need him. And we both still live even after he is sure that we were destroyed." Drake hugged his lover close for a moment. "Now dress, we don't want to be late for Abigail Whistler's arrival."

* * *

"Excuse me Mr Frohmeyer?" Scud turned as the woman spoke. He still wasn't completely used to the Mr Frohmeyer business but as Dominic Drake's personal assistant, the employees of Talos Industries afforded his a certain level of respect.

"Yes Delores? What is it?" He asked. Delores was one of the few employees that remained after the Talos siblings had been destroyed by the Daystar Virus last year. Drake had kept her on when he acquired the business and promoted her to his secretary.

She was also a bit of a busybody, and dense to boot. Her favorite pastime seemed to be fretting about two eligible bachelors not out looking for nice young girls to settle down with. It went completely over her head that Mr Drake's young assistant lived with him even though almost everyone else in the company recognized the relationship.

"These forms need Mr Drake's signature and there's a young woman waiting in the lobby to see him." She said with a hopeful smile.

Scud took the papers. "Did you happen to get the young lady's name?" He prompted.

"Oh yes, Whistler, Abigail Whistler." She answered.

"Thank you Delores. I'll get Mr Drake to sign these and take care of Miss Whistler." He told her heading to the door that led to the inner office.

* * *

Abby was getting tired of cooling her heels at the reception desk when a voice behind her said "Miss Whistler?" She turned to find a youngish man behind her extending his hand. "I'm Joshua Frohmeyer, Mr Drake's assistant."

"Abby Whistler." she said reluctantly shaking the man's hand. The hand was warm, human but that didn't rule out familiar. He was not bad looking, but he wasn't Hannibal.

"I apologize for the wait. If you'll follow me please." He said turning to head for the elevators. He held the door while she entered. Once inside he slid an ID badge into a slot. "Can't be too careful these days." Scud said.

"So you're his assistant? How much do you know about him?" She asked.

"I hope you aren't here to try some outrageous marriage scheme Miss Whistler, Mr Drake is a confirmed bachelor." Scud said with a smile. "It wouldn't do you any good."

"What?! Abby asked offended.

"You have to admit it is a rather inappropriate question you just asked of me. One of my duties as Mr Drake's assistant is protecting his privacy."

"Mr Frohmeyer believe me, there are things about Drake you don't know." Abby said.

The needle in Scud's hand punctured Abby's neck almost as fast as she identified the threat "Let me put your fears to rest, Abby. I know more about Drake than you." Scud caught her as she started to collapse. "Just relax, Drake doesn't intend to harm you, he just wants to talk to you."

Scud gathered the limp woman in his arms stepping out into the penthouse as soon as the doors opened.


	4. Chapter 4

"Abby Whistler, I really should be angry with you for shooting that arrow into me but you saved me a lot of trouble. You got rid of Danica Talos and her group of fools." Drake said seeing her open her eyes.

"Drake," She said sitting up and catching sight of Scud. "I should have realized you were a familiar!"

Scud smothered a laugh. "Oooh she thinks I'm a familiar!"

"You're human." She answered. "What else would you be?"

Scud started to reply but was interrupted by Drake.

"Josh, leave us." Drake snapped, sensing Scud's desire to brag about what he was. Drake did care for Scud, but there were times when he despaired of his lover's intelligence. He was getting better though. At least his vocabulary had improved, Drake would just have to remind him about discretion. Drake waited until Scud had disappeared through a set of French doors.

"I brought you here for a reason, Abby. I want to talk to Blade. Blade has proven to be an honorable warrior, I would hate to see him die because he didn't know what he was up against." Drake handed her an envelope. "Give it to Blade. A date and time on neutral ground so we can discuss what you are really hunting."

"You want a truce? After what you did, everyone you killed." Abby spit. "You killed my father!"

"Danica Talos and her people killed your father Abby, I don't call them fools for no reason. I hope you won't prove to be as foolish as they were. Give the message to Blade.

Feel free to stay here and rest for a while until the sedative has worn off. When you are ready to leave just take the elevator to the lobby." Drake said before disappearing through the same doors Scud had.

Scud had angered Drake. He knew from the way Drake had hissed at him to leave. And although Scud knew Drake wouldn't injure him, Drake would cause him pain, and he had learned the hard way that vampires could in fact feel pain. Scud knew he was in for it when Drake had simply grabbed his collar dragging him to the private elevator, the one that went to the subbasement. And here he was in the demon's lair again. Drake only brought him here for two reasons, to feed the demon (and after last night the Demon was sated for a few months at least) or Drake was going to make him suffer and didn't want anyone hearing Scud's screams.

"What am I to do with you Scud?" Drake asked. "We talked about how important it is that they not know what you are and you were on the verge of telling her."

"I'm sorry Drake, it's just that sometimes I can't help it." Scud said. "I know I made you mad."

"Get undressed Scud." Drake said as he loosened his tie.

Scud began shedding his clothes. He carefully folded each item laying it on the low bench near the foot of the bed. Once he was naked he began picking up Drake's clothing, trying not to notice that Drake's cock was already hard and throbbing.

"Are you trying to make it worse Scud." Drake asked as Scud took his time picking the discarded items on the floor.

"N-no." Scud stammered hurrying to finish neatly laying Drake's clothes next to his. He had no sooner finished the task when he felt could metal encircle his right wrist pulling it behind his back so that it could be shackled to his left.

Drake dragged Scud to stand beside the bed. Drake knew that Scud was capable of comfortably accommodating him with lots of lube and prep. But from using this form of punishment before he also knew Scud could painfully accommodate him with no prep and very little lube. Drake picked up the tube and squirted out a bit of lube, just enough to make penetration possible. This was supposed to hurt, it was a punishment after all.

Scud fought the urge to beg for more lube, it would only anger Drake. When Drake spun him around and shoved him face first into the mattress with his ass sticking up in the air he didn't fight. When he felt the head of Drake's cock pressing against his unprepared entrance he didn't fight. When Drake snapped his hips forward send half that large shaft flying up his ass he couldn't not fight the pain it caused.

Drake tightened his hold on Scud's hips as Scud screamed and fought to escape the brutal fucking in store for him. Drake looked down seeing himself entering the young man's body and jerked his hips forward burying himself the rest of the way. The passage was no less tight than it had ever been but it was much cooler than it should be and cooling even more. Drake also realized that he had never before so brutally impaled his lover.

Scud thanked whatever powers that be that vampires did not need to breathe because breathing was impossible at this point. He didn't even think accommodating the demon hurt this much. His entire body was one great bundle of pain. Eventually the stars he was seeing faded and he became aware of Drake's hands gently stroking his back.

"I think I made my point." Drake murmured. "No more pain Scud, but you need to concentrate on your body temperature. You're cold." Scud whimpered as Drake pulled out and removed the shackles binding his wrists.

Scud realized that breathing was not the only thing he had forgotten about. Keeping his body temperature elevated was the first thing Drake had taught him. Playing human was second nature to Scud, and he had forgotten all about it.

Drake continued to softly caress his lover until Scud had himself under control again. "That was careless of me." Drake said gathering the young man in his arms. "I have no excuse except my fear that the lesser vampires will find out what you are. If they do find out, they will kill you. I don't think the world will survive me losing another."

Scud softly asked "Another?"

Drake settled himself and then tucked his lover against his side. "Yes. Many centuries ago there was another who could sate the demon, her name was Sehkmet. Like you, she was given to me as a sacrifice to my unholy lust for fear and pain.

She also had known suffering she should not have. It was the first time my demon was moved to show mercy to a sacrifice. I turned her as I did you, but withheld many of the gifts I passed to you. It was a mistake I would live to regret.

She was my lover and the demon's lover just as you are, but she was a lesser vampire. She was unable to walk in sunlight or shift, had I given her those gifts She might not have died and the world might be a much different place. Or maybe it would still be the same since it was ambition that caused her death, ambition of lesser vampires to do exactly what lesser vampires want to do today, to set themselves up as the rulers of the world with no thought to the consequences." Drake continued.

"How did she die?" Scud asked, curious now knowing that there was someone before him.

"They told their familiars to take her from our home as the sun was at it's zenith. I could tolerate the sun, she could not. Her death angered the demon and it retaliated against human and vampire alike, the guilty and the innocent. The demon would have slaughtered everyone. In a brief moment of control, I chose to sleep. I had myself interred hoping that I would never be found.. It was Danica Talos that found me and brought me back into the world."

Drake tightened his arms around Scud. "I fear that there would be no stopping me if I were to lose you. Everyone, everything would be destroyed. It is why we need Blade's help. These lesser vampires will kill you if they know of your existence. I will not allow them to kill another that I love. They will die first."

"But you said that Blade needed us too." Scud pointed out.

"He does, because the group they hunt is in Persia. And that group knows who I am and that I have awakened. They are more powerful than what Blade usually hunts because they are older. And one of them ordered Sehkmet's death."

Scud raised himself up from his comfortable spot on Drake's shoulder as he realized what Drake had said. "You love me?"


	5. Chapter 5

Scud felt like a complete pussy. He just couldn't seem to stop the tears." "I'm sorry Drake." Drake held Scud as the young man shed quiet tears. "I haven't heard anyone say that to me since my mom died. She was the only one that ever loved me."

"I love you now, Josh Frohmeyer. You do for me what no one else can, you calm the storm inside of me, you keep the demon at bay. You annoy me no end, and then amuse me until my annoyance is gone." Drake tilted Scud's tear stained face to him before doing something he had never done. He pressed his mouth against Scud's, gently brushing his lips against Scud's and lightly tracing his tongue along his lips until they parted. Drake deepened the kiss, his tongue twining with Scud's until he heard the young man moan.

"If you weren't sore right now I would make love to you." Drake whispered.

"I'm not that sore." Scud told him "I want you to. For once I want to be touched by someone knowing that they care and not because they consider me some sex toy that happens to just be alive."

Drake pressed another kiss to Scud's mouth and laid him back against the pillows. He spread Scud's legs, and knelt between them looking at the body laid out before him.

"You are beautiful." Drake said reaching out to touch the unmarred flesh of Scud's stomach. Scud couldn't stop the slight tension in his body as he felt Drake's touch. Drake stroked the perfect skin before leaning forward to press his lips against Scud's trembling flesh. Leaning back on his heels he placed his palms on Scud's stomach and ran his hands down across Scud's hips avoiding his cock.

"Please." Scud begged locking eyes with the older man.

Drake smiled as he used the tips of his fingers to lift Scud's balls, testing their weight and rolling them gently within their sack. He used his right hand to trail his fingers along the underside of Scud's shaft. Reaching the head, he brushed his thumb across the tip. "Why do parents choose to mutilate their son's in such a manner?" He questioned gently tracing the leaking slit he found there. "Circumcision is a barbaric practice."

Drake grabbed the tube of lube and coated his fingers transferring the slick oil to Scud's opening before stretching his body out alongside his lover. Increasing the pressure his slipped his finger inside, pressing his lips to Scud's and drinking in the slight hiss that escaped Scud's lips.

Scud slipped his arms around Drake's neck and returned the kiss trying to tell Drake with his lips how much the gentle touches were appreciated. When Drake slipped a second finger inside Scud couldn't stop the small cry of pain.

"You are sore." Drake said starting to pull away.

"No please don't stop." Scud begged. "I've been through much worse when I didn't want to. I want to feel you inside me. I can take it Drake, for you, because you love me. Enough foreplay already."

Drake claimed Scud's lips again and shifted his weight so he was nestled between his legs. He pressed against the tight entrance and lifted his head. He slowly pressed forward, watching as his lover's face reflected his discomfort.

"All of it." Scud demanded. "Please. It doesn't hurt that bad."

Drake pushed forward completely filling the young man and leaning down to whisper against his lips. "Liar."

"No, A little pain is nothing Drake. Not compared to knowing that you love me. If I have to suffer a little discomfort, I will. Now please move. I want to please you as much as you have pleased me." Scud said squirming his hips.

Drake tried to hold back but Scud wouldn't let him. The young man wiggled, rolled his hips and did everything humanly possibly to increase the friction. Drake gave up trying and grabbed Scud's hips tilting them to just the right angle to keep constant pressure on Scud's prostate.

Scud had long since given in. The constant stimulation coupled with the sound of three little words echoing in his head had him on the edge. "Please Drake." Scud was whining. "Please oh please."

Drake reached between their bodies wrapping his hand around Scud's cock. Scud once again saw stars this time from his orgasm. Feeling Scud tighten around him sent Drake over the edge as he held Scud's hips and held himself as deep as he could pumping his seen into his lover.

Scud wrapped his arms around Drake and snuggled closer, sighed and closed his eyes. He was happy for the first time he could remember since his mother was still alive.

* * *

"It was Drake." Abby said. "He survived the Daystar Virus. I say we go right back there now and kill the son of a bitch."

"Blade , you know how often I'm serious." Hannibal King said, "And I'm serious when I say Abby is right. We know where he is we should kill him now."

"No. Drake wants to talk, I'll talk." Blade said. "The virus should have killed him and it didn't. A silver tipped arrow should have killed Hassan and it didn't. I want to know why."

"You can't be serious Blade. If we kill him we can kill them all." Hannibal said.

"Are you sure of that? You were sure that Daystar would kill him too. And we all saw his dead body but I just got an invitation to lunch from him." Blade glared at Hannibal. "I think you might want to start treating those theories of yours as just that, theories."


	6. Chapter 6

Scud was nervous. For the first time since his change he found himself wanting a joint, a cigarette even a KrispyKreme. Scud was sure Blade was going to walk in and stake him. It's not like he didn't know how B felt about suckheads and Scud was one of them now.

"Relax, He won't do anything here." Drake said has he relaxed at a back table of the restaurant. The restaurant was upscale, very upscale. As in no prices on the menu upscale. If you had to ask how much something cost, you couldn't afford it.

It was also as promised neutral territory. A meeting place for vampires where no fighting was allowed. Although vampires frequenting the place during the day was unheard of, until now. Daywalkers were extremely rare.

Drake laid his hand on Scud's thigh as he felt the young man tense beside him. Looking up Drake saw Blade being led to the booth by a waiter and followed by Hannibal King.

"Blade, good of you to come and with Danica's old playmate. I suppose that's only fair, don't you Scud?" Drake spoke. "Sit down we have things to talk about."

Blade pulled out a chair directly across from Scud. Sitting down he pinned his former weapons tech with a glare. "Scud, now this is a surprise. The last time I saw you, you were in pieces splattered all over Damaskinos' lab. Looks like I was wrong about that."

"Yeah you were wrong, B. It was some look alike. By the time he died I was halfway to a safe house. Damaskinos thought I was too valuable to risk." Scud said quietly looking at the table. "When Damaskinos died I was claimed by a new owner. She gave me to Drake."

"The suckheads are passing you around like a drunk co-ed at a frat party." Hannibal said. "From the looks of it you don't seem to mind."

Scud looked at Hannibal. "At least I wasn't Danica's happy little fucktoy. How many times did she tag team your ass with her brother?"

"No you just bent over and spread your ass for anyone with a $20 bill in their pocket." Hannibal shot back.

"Yeah I did because that was what Damiskinos wanted me for, but I never begged for it. And I figured out how to get my ass off the available list!" Scud snapped back.

"Enough!" Drake said. "We aren't here for the two of you to bicker over you did what!"

"You're right," Scud said. "I'm sorry Drake."  
"What are we here for Drake." Blade asked.

"Because you have no idea what you're going up against Blade. Hassan is different from any vampire you've faced. You don't realize that all vampires are not the same. There are lesser vampires like you have been hunting all along and then there's Hassan, and Hassan is lesser then I am." Drake said. "You see how well you're doing with your silver and garlic against him. If you want to destroy him you need our help."

Blade leaned back in his chair, "Your help?"

"Have you so quickly forgotten Scud's skills?" Drake questioned with a smile. "Well then how about the fact that your little virus didn't kill me."

"Yeah we were wondering about that." Hannibal said. "How is it you're still walking and talking."

"Because you can't kill La Magra." Drake said leaning back and smiling at the shocked expression on Blade's face that even his shades couldn't hide.

"La who what?!" Hannibal asked.

"Shut up King." Blade said leaning forward. "Are you trying to say that you are LaMagra?"

"Deacon Frost had no idea what he was trying to raise, and he had no idea how to raise it. Danica Talos succeeded where Frost had failed." Drake said.

"The Blood god? Last I heard the world was going to be bathed in blood if La Magra was raised." Blade said. "Things still look pretty normal to me."

"La Magra can be controlled to a point. You can thank Scud for the fact that he is not tearing through the world on a path of destruction right now. Scud can keep him calm." Drake said. "If something were to happen to Scud, LaMagra would destroy everything in his path. Just like he did 4000 years ago when Hassan arranged the death of the one who could control him then."

"So as long as Scud is alive, La Magra behaves." Blade said. "So I take it you want me to help you keep Scud alive, and in return you're going to help me destroy Hassan."  
"Not just Hassan, but other lesser vampires." Drake said. "They will never give up their delusions. Let's be blunt Blade. Frost tried to raise me because he wanted to rule the world. Damiskinos created the reapers because he wanted to rule the rule. Hassan is giving you a problem right now because he wants to rule the world. Are you seeing the pattern here?"  
"Think about what happens if they succeed, B. How long will humans survive?" Scud said. "Suckheads like Damaskinos given free reign."

"Your humans won't last a decade, Blade." Drake said. They will either be dead or turned to die of starvation because there are no humans left.

Blade was ignoring the box. It had been delivered an hour ago by an employee of Talos Industries, Drake's little dummy company. Well not really dummy if Blade was honest it actually was a thriving business. Owned by Drake and run by familiars.

"Well aren't you going to open it, Blade?" Hannibal asked. "See what the two bit whore sent you?"

"What is it with you and Scud?" Blade asked. "The two of you went at each other intending to draw blood."

"Did we? Maybe it's because Scud is a fucking whore. First time I laid eyes on him he was bent over getting ass rammed by some vampire in the alley behind one of their clubs. Pretty much every time I saw the bastard it was the same thing, him bent over riding some vamps dick. The son of a bitch has had more cocks than the urinals at Madison Square Garden." Hannibal spat. "At least I limited myself to the Talos. Then she had to go and bring him into nest."

"Hmph." Blade grunted. "Well lets see what Scud sent me." Blade said opening the box and thinking about the fact that Hannibal seemed to be jealous. It turned out that there was a sword in the box and a note:

_B, It's Titanium/Silver alloy. _

_And for the record, I never turned on you. _

_I told Nomak where to find W._


	7. Chapter 7

Scud actually jumped when Drake's arms slid around him, so engrossed was he in trying to get the two pieces of metal to join together. "Drake! Don't sneak up on me like that!"

Drake chuckled. "You were so wrapped up in what you were doing you didn't hear me speaking to you, so I had to take matters into my hands. You need to take a break from this Scud. The payroll isn't done and you haven't fed."

Scud sighed and turned in Drake's arms. "You're right it just that I'm so close to making it work. I tend to slip into this space where I have a one track mind."

Scud wondered who was on the menu for tonight. One thing Drake had never done since Scud had been with him was drain a human. Instead they had a group of regular donors who in exchange for room, board and other perks,offered themselves up as a sort of vampire buffet.

Scud let himself be guided by Drake's arm out of the workroom and to the feeding room here in the lower level. Drake had made sure there was a room dedicated to feeding. A pair of twin beds a large couch and a refrigerator stocked with a variety of fruit juices were the only furniture in the room.

Entering the room Scud smiled seeing Ella waiting. Ella was a rare treat, due to her blood type. "Hello Ella" he said walking up to her and slipping his arms around her waist.

This was the second thing Scud had learned from Drake, proper feeding technique. Only lesser vampires killed their prey, because they were sloppy feeders. Lesser vampires just tore out throats and lapped up the gushing blood. Drake was better than that and had taught Scud well.

Scud stepped behind the woman placing his hands on her shoulders gently pulling her back against him. He slid one arm around her waist to hold her in place while his other hand swept her hair back to bare her neck.

Scud ran his tongue along the woman's neck tracing her jugular. Always the jugular, never the carotid artery. Scud bit down piercing the vein and feeling the sweet, hot blood flow into his mouth. Swallowing as his mouth filled and letting it fill again gulping down blood until he had his fill. When he was sated he licked the spot, his saliva helping the blood clot and slowing the flow. Ella had been with them for over a year now.

Scud lifted her in his arms and laid her on a bed. He pulled the covers up tucking her in before going to the refrigerator and pouring a glass of orange juice. Proper feeding technique also included caring for your food.

"Thank you Ella." Scud said smiling at the woman and helping her to drink the juice. "Rest for a while."

"Come Scud, Ella is not the only one who needs rest." Drake said holding out his hand. "I'll have Renardo come sit with you Ella."

Scud cuddled against Drake's side as they left the room. "She's my favorite. AB Negative is so hard to find."

"I thought you deserved something special. But it was also a bribe." Drake said.

"Bribe?" Scud asked "You don't need to bribe me Drake."

"Then tell me why there is such animosity between you and Hannibal King." Drake said.

"I don't like him." Scud answered.

Drake turned Scud to face him, "I know you don't like him, what I want to know is why."

"He's the world's dumbest fuck. I would have killed to have just half of what he threw away for Danica Talos. He called me a whore, you already know I was. I was selling my ass on the street at the age of 14 just so I could afford to sleep in a rat infested run down motel room rather than behind a dumpster in an alley while his ass was sleeping on silk sheets in a big house hidden behind a gate manned by a security guard. While I was hoping I had enough change to get damned hamburger at McDonald's, that son of a bitch was throwing steak in the trash. While I was forced into this to survive, that fucker chose it." Scud turned and punched the wall. "I had no one, Drake and that sorry bastard turned his back on a family that loved him for that bitch."

Drake put his arms around Scud and pulled him close. "And now you are the one who has everything."

* * *

Scud was checking the payroll when his office door flew open.

"Sir you can't just barge in here without an appointment!" Delores was doing her best but Blade was ignoring her completely. "Mr Frohmeyer, I'm sorry!"

"It's alright Delores, I'll see him." Scud said standing up from behind his desk.

"Moving up in the world, Scud." Blade said looking around.

"Yeah who did you fuck to rate a corner office with windows?" Hannibal said.

"I'll see you B, but get Hannibal King out of my office or I'll have security throw him in one of the dumpsters out back. " Scud spat glaring daggers at Hannibal.

"Wait outside King." Blade said. "Scud and I need to talk without your running commentary"

"Blade, come on." Hannibal started.

"Outside now!" Blade said never taking his eyes off of Scud.

Hannibal gave Scud one last nasty look and then turned to leave the office grumbling under his breath. Once the door closed behind him, Scud dropped heavily into his chair.

"You're good at fooling others Scud, but give me one good reason why I shouldn't test that Titanium/Silver Alloy sword on your ass." Blade said settling back in one of the chairs facing the desk. "And don't give me that 'I don't know what you're talking about' business. You're no more human now than Drake. You're a damned suckhead"

"Because Drake isn't lying. He is La Magra. I have to deal with that demon every few months to keep him calm." Scud said. "Believe me B, you don't want him running loose. And you don't want Hassan to get his way either. Humans are already at the breaking point. There are too many vampires for the population to support much longer."

"So I'm supposed to let you live because of Drake?" Blade questioned.

"Look B, Drake is not like the lesser vampires, the suckheads. As long as La Magra is under control, Drake doesn't kill and I don't kill."

* * *

"King," Drake said. "What are you doing here?"

"He came with that other man." Delores said. "They just barged into Mr Frohmeyer's office, then this one came out. The other one is still in there. Mr Frohmeyer told me it was alright that he would see the other man, but I still think we should call security and toss this this one out in the street." She ended with a snort.

Drake gave the woman a smile. "Well Delores if he doesn't behave himself, be my guest." Drake opened the door to Scud's office.

"What is this lesser vampire shit? A suckhead is a suckhead." Blade asked. Drake quickly closed the door behind him, not wanting Delores to hear the conversation.

"Josh, are you alright?" Drake said making his way around the desk to check on Scud.

"I'm fine Drake, B and I were just talking. He knows." Scud said.

Drake reached down and took Scud's hand pulling him out of the chair. Drake then sat down pulling Scud down to sit in his lap.

"So that answers Hannibal's question about who you fucked doesn't it?" Blade said.

"Danica gave Scud to La Magra as a sacrifice. Believe me when I tell you it wasn't a pleasant experience for him. He's been regularly feeding the demon ever since and it is a terrifying and agonizing experience. Scud suffers the demon's need to cause pain and fear sparing your precious humans. That he now has what King threw away is meager compensation in comparison."

"Hmph" Blade grunted. "You say you don't kill Scud, so consider this, if I find out anyone has died by your hand, I will kill you, consequences and La Magra be damned." Blade stood up. "Drake you and I need to talk. If I'm going to kill Hassan I need to know what he is capable of."

"You mistake me Blade, I intend to kill Hassan. I need you to strip him of his followers." Drake said "It was Hassan who unleashed La Magra's anger on the world all those years ago by having the woman the demon loved killed. I'm not going to give him the chance to kill Scud." Drake said protectively tightening his arms around the man perched on his lap.

Blade slowly sat back down and looked at the two. Scud had snuggled into Drake's embrace.

"Well, this is interesting. Tell me Drake, is this you talking or the demon?" Blade asked.

"Both, the demon and I are one and the same. My mother willingly laid down and spread her legs for something inhuman and evil. I am the result of that union." Drake said. "I was a grown man before I learned that my mother's husband was not my father. But he was an honorable man. He is the one that raised me and his teachings were deeply rooted."

"So you're telling me you were born human?" Blade asked.

"Like you I was born half human. The demon remained dormant within me until I was a man grown. The first time it manifested was during a battle. It fed off of the fear and the pain it found. When the battle finally died down I realized that I should have been dead many times over. Many of the wounds I had received were fatal, and yet I lived. Not a scratch remained.

That is when my mother told me the truth of my birth. I suppose that she hoped I would follow the path of my Demon father, but as I said the man who raised me had instilled his values into my human half."

"That doesn't explain you being a vampire." Blade noted.

"I was a vampire then Blade, make no mistake. I just did not feed on blood, but the bloodlust of battle. Eventually after many decades we were at peace. Our people conquered so many enemies that no one else would fight us, that is when I began to feed on blood."

"But there was just you." Blade said "Doesn't explain the rest of the suckheads."

"Loneliness Blade, everyone gets lonely. Even demons long for company." Drake's hand had started idly rubbing Scud's back. Scud snuggled a little closer.

"The first I turned was Hassan, an accident. He was the second bloodfeeder. This is why he is stronger than the rest of the vampires you have destroyed. But luckily I did not give him all of my gifts. The demon set out to create a group of companions, but no matter how many it created, it remained restless, it continued to spread fear among humans. Humans tried to appease the demon through sacrifice and that is how I met Sehkmet, she was a sacrifice to the demon. Something in her calmed the demon.

She had suffered more than she should have before she was given to me. When the demon needed to cause pain or fear, she accepted it and survived, she took all that pain and suffering on herself. The demon did not need to terrorize humanity. She stopped the reign of terror and I turned her, but not completely. I did not infect her with everything that I was. I was afraid it would change her make her like Hassan, bloodthirsty, power drunk. I did not give her the gifts that would allow her to protect herself. Hassan had his familiars wait until I was away and they dragged her out into the sunlight. It brought the reign of terror back.

Eventually I realized how far the demon had gone in its grief. Yes grief. The demon loved Sehkmet but my human half realized that she would have been devastated by what was being done in her name. I willed myself to sleep, ordered that I be interred where no one would find me."

"You said Frost tried to raise you." Blade prompted.

"Ah, Deacon Frost. So sure that he was better than humans when he suffered the same faults; the tendency to tamper with things best left untouched and the arrogance to think he could control them. He succeeded in waking the demon. Had you not destroyed him, I would have. I would have tortured his soul for eternity, you spared him that. However he did cause two things which brings us to where we are now, Hassan sensed my presence and I sensed Danica Talos."

"Fucking bitch." Scud interjected.

" Scud, hush. She gave you to me." Drake said with a smile. "Danica released my body, but the demon was in control. Danica brought sacrifice after sacrifice to me and the demon killed them all, and then she brought Scud to me. The demon recognized Sehkmet's soul in him. I don't mean they are the same person, but that Scud carries the same ability to suffer that Sehkmet carried. I turned him that night, but this time I made sure to gift him with everything."

* * *

"A lot of familiars down here Scud." Blade said looking around. "And you're okay with that?"

"They aren't familiars, they're donors, willing donors. None of them are marked and they are free to come and go as they please. We do what we can to help them. Like Joey over there with the easel." Scud said pointing to an older man busy adding paint to a canvas. "Drake has helped him get several of his paintings sold. He lives here. Go ahead and talk to them, ask them how they are treated. I know what it was like B, I wouldn't put anybody through that."

Scud stopped and pushed open a door. "This is the workroom." Scud said entering the room.

Blade looked at the workroom. It was definitely a 'Scud space'. It looked like a junkyard had exploded. Blade didn't know how Scud could find anything, but it was obvious that the mess made perfect sense to him as he walked over and picked up a good sized box.

"Here you go B, I was able to increase the intensity of the UV burst." Scud said setting the box on the the only clear table in the room. Remember the big bomb W and I rigged? One of these babies will give you the same effect." Scud said. "I'm trying to work from what Drake tells me, but there's a lot of work I can't do for obvious reasons."

"The Nightstalkers can pick up the slack. But in return you get me in a proper set of wheels. Their mechanics are worth shit." Blade said.

"Sounds like a fair trade to me." Scud said.

* * *

Hassan hated waiting for the sun to set. Sunlight meant nothing to Hassan, one of the things he shared with Drake. Unfortunately he could not pass that gift to his own creations. Hassan leaned on the balcony railing and looked down at the humans scurrying along the street below.

They had no fear now, not like before when Drake had been like a brother to him. The two had enjoyed the status of gods at one point and then that bitch had come along. Sehkmet, a lowly human sacrifice, and she had stolen Drake from him. Drake bhad been emasculated by the bitch before he could end it and get his brother back. And oh had his brother come back with a vengeance, for a while.

Drake had gone to ground, hidden from him for more centuries than Hassan could count until the one called Deacon Frost had awakened a part of Drake. The Drake he knew from days of old. Hassan had rejoiced, all he had to do was find Drake, bring him up from the ground, but before he could do so Drake had found Sehkmet, or someone like her. Soon Hassan would know who. He had tracked Drake here to this city. Somewhere in this city was another who had made Drake into less than he was meant to be.

Hassan turned to the open sliding door as he felt his followers enter the room. "We will bring him back to us, find the sacrifice. It is the sacrifice that must die."

Hassan watched them file out into the night. Hassan would stake this cunt himself. He wanted to watch this one go up in flames. He would listen to her cries as the sun consumed her flesh.

Drake dug his fingers into Scud's hips as the young man rode him. Drake fought back his own orgasm not wanting to be distracted from the beauty of Scud's orgasm. Drake was stroking Scud's spurting erection. "Yesss" Drake hissed "Come for me."

Scud's back arched as he cried out in pleasure. The feeling of Scud's already tight passage gripping him triggered Drake to fill it with his seed. Scud collapsed forward against his lover's chest. Drake's arms automatically wrapped themselves around Scud. Drake stroked Scud's back even as a shiver went down his own.

Hassan was somewhere close.


	8. Chapter 8

Delores had left for lunch so Drake and Scud were alone. Drake had been preoccupied since the previous night. Drake lifted his head in the middle of saying something about the Nightstalkers. It was almost like he was listening to something."Drake?" Scud asked wondering what had made Drake suddenly lose his train of thought.

"Scud, I want you to shift and walk out to the elevator and go to the lower level. Make sure you appear to be human." Drake told him.

"What? What's going on Drake?" Scud asked just a bit confused.

"Go!" Drake said grabbing Scud's arm and dragging him out of the chair. "Get your ass downstairs now! Don't make me tell you again."

Scud hurried to the office door opening it just as the elevator doors opened revealing a man of obvious Middle Eastern descent. Although both Blade and Drake had questioned Scud's intelligence from time to time, Scud quickly realized exactly who it was stepping off the elevator. Scud shifted and stalked to the elevator, anyone looking would have seen Hannibal King.

Hassan took note of the young man that passed him, human. Obviously a familiar and beneath his notice. Hassan was concerned with what, or rather who was behind the office door.

Hassan simply walked in. No need to knock between old friends. "Drake, I've been looking for you for a long time."  
"Hassan, I've been avoiding you for just as long." Drake said calmly. "Most people would take the hint."

Hassan smiled. "It's as I thought. You've found another bitch to take Sehkmet's place. The demon is calm and the world is quiet, too quiet. I intend to change that. I'll find the little bloodsucking bitch and then bring you back to the fold."

"Hassan, you always did have a tendency to brag." Drake stifled a yawn. "You have never grown beyond wanting to see the world in chaos. You have never learned that destroying the world is to destroy yourself. I will not allow you to destroy this world.

Take a bit of advice from an old friend, forget about raising the demon. It's inclined to let Sehkmet's death pass. Take that gift, it is the last one I will offer you."

"I'm going to find her Drake. And I'm going to drag the bitch out and stake her myself, this time I am going to watch the bitch burn." Hassan said. "And I'll take pleasure from her screams. I will make you what you were meant to be again, just like I did with Sehkmet.

Eventually you will forgive me, you've always forgiven me everything Drake. You've even forgiven me for having Sehkmet killed. If you hadn't, you would have killed me when I walked through that door. Sehkmet made you weak, Just like this new woman makes you weak. Enjoy her while you can Drake." Hassan said as he turned to leave the office.

* * *

Once the elevator door closed, Scud collapsed against the wall shifting back to his own form. It had taken all of his concentration to maintain his human appearance and his shifted form. He had wanted nothing more than to run. Hassan was not as tall or muscular as Drake but he just seemed...sinister. Well of course he seemed sinister idiot, he wants to kill you; Scud thought to himself.

Scud swiped his ID Badge and realized that he was actually shaking. If Hassan found out who he was...

When the elevator doors opened on the sub-basement level, Scud didn't think about where he was going, only that he wanted to feel safe. He went to a door that opened on a flight of stairs leading down to a lower level. He had first taken this walk with Danica Talos. He followed the corridor to a door and opened it, the Demon's lair. Scud looked around the room, he'd never falt anything but pain in this place and other than the first time he had entered it he had never really felt fear here. It was ironic Scud thought, that a demon who could rip the world apart made him feel safe.

* * *

Drake had told Delores he was taking the rest of the day off. He needed to be with Scud, Hassan would never know how deeply his barbs pierced. He had stirred the demon to anger over Sehkmet's death and stirred it even more with his threats against Scud. At least for the moment, Hassan was looking in the wrong direction. It hadn't occurred to him that maybe it might be a man that demon claimed. But then that was understandable. The product of Hassan's upbringing.

Drake has spent an hour searching for Scud before he found him, in what they had taken to calling the demon's lair. This was surprising to Drake. This room should represent pain and suffering to Scud and yet this is where he chose to come.

"Why here?" Drake asked quietly.

Scud lifted his head and looked at Drake. "Because I feel safe here. No matter what happens here or how much it hurts I know that when it's over, I'll be safe."

Drake dropped onto the bed beside Scud and reached over to take his hand. "I'll do everything in my power to keep Hassan away from you. He's hunting for a woman, and I'm not going to correct that assumption. But eventually he will think about looking for a man."

Scud sighed and leaned against Drake "I know you will."

"But you need to know that you are not helpless." Drake slipped his arm around scud and laid back on the bed pulling Scud down with him. "I gave you more than I gave him. He can't shift, you can and I gave you a piece of the demon. You are a part of me now. If something happens and I'm not near enough to help you, I wanted you to be able to at least survive until I can get to you."

Drake lifted Scud settling his lover over his own body, pressed together from chest to hips. "I love you, If I were to lose you I don't think I'll be able to stop myself this time."

* * *

Blade watched as the vampire collapsed into a pile of ash. Scud wasn't kidding when he said that he had increased the intensity of these UV grenades. Blade had actually managed to get a case of sunburn the first time he used one. His skin was still peeling. So while they wouldn't kill a daywalker, they could definitely make one uncomfortable for a while.

He had followed Hassan from the Talos Building to this old brownstone. Along with Hannibal and Abby; he was doing a little housekeeping, clearing out some of Hassan's followers. Hassan had fled as soon as he realized what was happening and left his people to be slaughtered.

"I thought Hassan was supposed to be such a bad ass. Looks like he's just another pussy of a suckhead." Hannibal said looking at the ash piles scattered around the room.

"Do you see a pile on the carpet with Hassan's name on it?" Blade asked. "Hassan ran out of here in broad daylight, King. You might want to remember that."

* * *

Drake had made a pact with Blade. Hassan sat in a small cafe. Many of his followers were lost but not all of them, and Hassan had no problem making more of them. But Blade was a complication. Hassan had to find this bitch quick and bring the demon back or face Blade himself. That was not an option.

Drake wasn't going to just parade her around in front of everyone like he had with Sehkmet, he was going to be protective of this one, careful. But time was a factor, the longer it took him to find her, the greater the odds that that Damned half breed would get lucky. Hassan was not a fan of human familiars but desperate times called for desperate measures. A human could come and go at Talos without arousing suspicion but that human would need to have a reason to come and go. A spy could discover the whore's identity quicker than all of Hassan's people combing the streets.

There were hundreds of humans working in that building Hassan would have to find one that access to Drake. He took out a cell phone and dialed a number He waited patiently for it to be answered. "Find out who handles security and cleaning for Talos Industries."

Hassan flipped the phone closed. Guards and maids have had full access to to the powerful since the beginning of time. Surely there would be a human he could use among them.

* * *

The group of familiars scattered to the four winds. Just when Hannibal was sure he was going to get beat down, a beautifully restored Black 1969 GTO had pulled up to the curb and Blade had opened the passenger door stood up and called his name.

"What are you waiting for Hannibal?" Blade demanded. "Get in."

Hannibal slid into the passenger seat as Blade slid behind the wheel and pulled away from the curb.

"Nice wheels." Hannibal said easing a silver stake out of his jacket. "Who the fuck are you? I know you're not Blade."

Scud let himself shift back to his own form. "You try to stake me with that and I promise you'll be visiting the emergency room because I'll shove it so far up your ass it will have to be surgically removed"

"Fuck!" Hannibal exclaimed. "You're a fucking shifter."

"And lucky for you I am. That gang of familiars was about to hand you your ass on a platter." Scud remarked.

"What the fuck are you Scud?" Hannibal asked. "Humans don't shift."

"Look Hannibal, I just pulled your bacon out of the fire. Much as I would have loved to seen you get your ass whipped six ways to Sunday, right now B needs you in one piece. So I will tolerate you for his sake.

What I am or am not is none of your damned business, B knows what I am. He's the only one that needs to know." Scud said as he pulled into the parking garage at Talos. "I will tell you this much, watch your ass. Hassan won't mind getting his hands on you, he knows you run with B. You and Abby Whistler. If he thinks it will give him an advantage he will take you out which is exactly what he is planning to do, he knows where to find you."

Scud got out of the car as a blond teenager stepped forward. "Take her down on the freight elevator. I'll be down in a minute." Scud handed the kid the keys then turned toward the other man.

"Let's be honest, I don't like you anymore than you like me, but you owe me one King. Stay the fuck out of my way and we'll call it even." Scud said.

* * *

Drake paced back and forth, it was all he could do to keep the demon under wraps long enough to reach the lair. When he had risen and found out that Scud was gone the demon inside him had started raging. Even though he knew Scud had just gone to pick up the car he was going to work on for Blade, it didn't make the demon any happier. The demon was determined to teach Scud a lesson and he would be here any moment. For the first time Drake was afraid the demon might actually hurt Scud.

Scud opened the door to the lair and yelped when he was grabbed and tossed across the room to land on the bed. He looked up in shock to see the Demon towering over him.

"It is not wise to anger me little one, and right now I find myself angered." The demon reached out and grabbed Scud's shirt, yanking him up off of the bed. Scud dangled helplessly in the demon's grip.

The demon was violently ripping the clothes from his body. Scud had never seen the demon this out of control. Scud knew how bad it hurt when the demon was in control but with the state it was in now. "Drake, please." He whimpered. "You're scaring me."

The demon stilled. He looked at the man trembling in his grip and on the verge of tears. Drake lowered himself to the floor, cradling Scud in his lap. "I'm sorry little one. I am not dealing well with this situation. I do not know what I should do. I want you safe. Yet I want to terrify you to the point that you never leave this room, but I know that would damage you. You would no longer be who you are.

Drake stroked Scud's hair soothingly with his huge demon hands.

"If I let you walk about freely, Hassan could make good on his promise. He could kill you The human Part of me understands and deals with this much better than I do. All I understand is that Hassan means to take what is mine.

And I am helpless. If I break you to my will in this I will lose you. You will only hold fear of me in your heart. If I don't I could lose you to Hassan's plans. I do not know what to do and it angers me." The demon growled.

"Teach me." Scud said softly. "Teach me how to fight him, how to use the gifts you gave me when you turned me. Then I won't be so helpless against him."

"There are times little one that you surprise me." The demon laughed. "I must stop underestimating you my Scud. That is such a simple answer and yet I did not think of it."

Drake rose to his feet. "Take your demonic form love, I hunger. I will feed now and then I will teach you all of Hassan's weaknesses."

* * *

"Blade what is going on?" Abby asked. "Why are we packing up?" She trailed behind the daywalker as he carried a box to the SUV.

"We're moving." He said as he placed the box in the cargo area.

"I can see that, but why are we moving." She persisted.

"Because Hassan knows our location, we're moving to the Talos Building." Blade said.

"The Talos...You're taking us to Drake?" She said incredulously. "You can't be serious. You're taking us into a nest of vampires and not just any nest, Drake's nest!"

"Yes I am. Drake's nest is secure. He's not going to let Hassan in there if he can help it." Blade answered her.

"What makes you think he won't just open the door an invite Hassan in? This is Drake we're talking about, the vampire that killed my father! That killed the man who raised you!" Abby yelled at Blade.

"Scud," Hannibal said grabbing her arm and pulling her away from the daywalker. "He's not going to let Hassan get near Scud." Hannibal shook his head as he realized she had no idea what he was talking about. "Josh Frohmeyer, his assistant."

Blade pinned Hannibal with a look.

"This morning, Scud pulled my ass out of the fire. He's like Drake, a shifter." Hannibal said.

"That doesn't go any farther, King. You're right, Scud is the only thing keeping Drake in check and Drake knows it. If Scud dies, Drake goes ballistic. So we are going to move in and set up shop there.

Scud is going to be helping us out with weapons but he can't build and test them all. So this way he can work directly with us. Unless they make a direct threat against us we go along with it." Blade said.

* * *

Graciela looked around for the new guy, Ayers. A last minute replacement for her regular cleaning partner who unfortunately was in the hospital after an unfortunate accident. Seeing Mr Frohmeyer's office door ajar she pushed it open. Ayers was running a cloth across the surface of the desk. "We don't clean in here. Mr Frohmeyer and Mr Drake made it very clear that we do not touch their offices. You need to run the vacuum out here while I clean the bathroom."

Ayers needed information tonight, disappointing Hassan would not be a good idea. Just look what happened to the guy who actually worked here when he told Hassan no. Well Ayers wasn't stupid and he wasn't above using a little force when necessary. When Graciela reached for a roll of toilet paper, Ayers wrapped the vacuum cord around her neck.

Ayers quickly went back into the assistant's office and found nothing of interest. The man was a personal assistant and by the looks of it, the very soul of discretion. Obviously he wasn't handling Drake's personal business. Ayers gave the office a quick once over to make sure that he hadn't left any telltale signs that is had been disturbed.

He made his way to Drake's office. The bottom drawer of the file cabinet revealed what he was looking for a box from the most expensive jewelry store in town and inside was a bracelet, not a woman's bracelet it was too heavy, the design too masculine. Ayers carried the box to the outer office to take a good look at the inscription:

_ Never forget you are loved _

Well no wonder Hassan couldn't find the woman he was searching for. Ayers took out his phone and dialed the number Hassan had given him. "It's not a woman, it's a man."


	9. Chapter 9

Hassan hung up the phone. His spy had to be wrong, Drake and another man? Drake was a warrior and now some pathetic creature had turned him into a catamite? This was more than bringing his long time friend back to the fold, it was saving Drake from himself.

He looking out the window at the moon. His minions would return soon and the Nightstalkers would be no more. Hassan held no delusions of them destroying Blade, the daywalker was a skilled warrior but without his people he would be weak. It would take time for him to build a new support network and while Blade was busy doing that, Hassan would be able to focus on Drake.

Hassan stood up and went to where the woman sat terrified. He grabbed her hair pulling her up from the chair. Using her hair he pulled her head back forcing her to see his bared fangs before he plunged them into her throat ripping through both her carotid artery and jugular vein. He began lapping at the flowing blood. Fear makes them taste so much sweeter he thought to himself.

* * *

Very few things in life amused Blade but watching Drake try to teach Scud to handle a sword had quickly made it's way to the top ten list.

"Drake stop." Blade said trying to wipe the smile off of his face.

"You think this is funny B?" Scud asked frustration evident in his tone.

"Actually, I do. Two hours and you haven't improved one bit. By now you should be able to at least block something."

"Do you think you can do better?" Drake asked.

"I know I can do better. The quickest way to teach a child not to touch a hot stove is to let him touch a hot stove. You're afraid of hurting him Drake, he doesn't even feel those love taps you're giving him. He knows you aren't going to hurt him so he's not trying as hard as he could." Blade explained. "You two aren't fighting, you're dancing and dancing isn't going to do him a damned bit of good."

Drake considered Blade's argument for a moment. "You're right I'm not pushing him because I don't want to hurt him." Drake handed the training sword to Blade.

"All you have to do is keep me from touching you, Scud." Blade said. "But I'm not going to hold back and I'll probably fight dirty because that is what you can expect from Hassan."

Scud looked to Drake and a second later was holding his arm "Ow!"

"Pay attention Scud. Next time, it's really going to hurt. Hassan isn't going to wait for you to get ready, he's going to try to take you out right from the beginning." Blade said.

Scud saw the wooden sword coming toward his head and lifted his own to block it only to scream in pain when Blade struck him in the ribs. He was now pressing his arm against his side and trying to catch his breath.

"He's going to try to fake you out. Make you fall for one thing and then strike somewhere else." Blade said. "And once you react to the pain, he's going to kill you." Blade gave Scud a good hard tap on the side of his head making him see stars.

"That's just how easy it's going to be for him Scud." Blade said. "You had better figure out fast how to use everything you have against him, and I'll tell you right now that brain of yours is probably the best weapon you have. Common sense may elude you from time to time, but you're a fuckin genius when it comes to knowledge.

You know what hurts them. It's why you can come up with all these damned weapons. Use it!"

Scud had managed to sit up.

"Take a couple of hours to rest, then we start your lessons for real." Blade said turning and walking out of the room.

* * *

Hassan watched the man as he sat down. How simple the human's were after all these centuries. You could still give what you wanted from them by appealing to their lusts or feeding their fears. Ayers was quickly brought to heel through fear. And although Ayers had tried to find some clue to this man's identity, he had failed. Hassan was now forced to place a second wolf among the sheep.

Hassan studied the man, older and sitting there stinking of cheap whiskey. "So Mr Wright. I understand that you have a slight problem, one that I may be able to assist you with. The small sum of $1,500 owed to a gentleman known on the street as 'Gator'?"

The man looked up in shock. No one knew how deep in debt he was to his bookie, not even his wife.

"Don't be alarmed, I have my sources. They bring me the names of men in situations like yours and I offer to help. I'm offering to help you Mr Wright." Hassan said. "Your debt will be completely erased."

Wright sat up a little straighter in his chair. "You'd help me?"

"Yes, I can have the debt cancelled tonight, of course there is one small favor I would ask in return."

"Favor?" Wright asked. "What kind of favor?"

Hassan chuckled. "Relax, I won't ask you to kill anyone. I simply need a bit of information. Information that you are in a position to discover. You work as a security guard at Talos Industries, I'm simply interested in knowing who comes and goes there. Especially after hours."

"You want me to spy?!" Wright said.

"No you mistake me, I have no interest in their corporate secrets. I simply want to know who comes and goes, it's an innocent enough favor. Your bookie is not known as a patient man. We both know that he has some unpleasantness in mind if you don't pay him on Friday." Hassan leaned forward. "I'm giving you a way to avoid the unpleasantness."

"So just tell you who comes and goes, right?" Wright asked. Seeing Hassan's nod he continued. "I suppose that's innocent enough, I'll do it."

Hassan pulled out a cell phone and dialed someone. "Have Mr Wright's debt erased." Hassan hung up the phone. "Well Mr Wright it's taken care of. I had a feeling you would turn out to be Mr Right."

* * *

Scud groaned in pain as he tried to climb to his feet again. "Better Scud."

"Better? Every time I stand up you knock me on my ass." Scud moaned. Feeling every blow the daywalker had landed on him.

"Yes but you're starting to make me work for it." Blade said looking at Scud. His nose was bleeding, his right eye was already swelling shut and his entire torso was a kaleidoscope of red black and blue. "Okay lets knock off for the day."

Scud nodded and began to slowly make his way to the door, just when Abby and King decided to come into the makeshift training room.

"Well look who got his ass handed to him?" King said. "Not exactly the pretty boy you were this morning are you Scud?"

"King you know what?" Blade said. "I think tomorrow I want you to join us. You could use a little practice too.

I think having you and Scud spar a few rounds would do you good. That is if you're up to sparring with Scud. I wouldn't want to get you in over your head."

"Me, in over my head against Scud?" Hannibal laughed. "That will be the day."

"Go on Scud." Blade said. "Get some rest."

* * *

"Thank you Irene." Scud said. He felt better already. Irene had taken one look at him and insisted he feed immediately. When he lifted her in his arms she protested.

"You're hurt! Put me down this instant Joshua Frohmeyer or I'll tan your hide!"

"I feel fine Irene. Let me get you settled and I promise I won't lift a finger." Scud carried her t o the feeding room and settled her on a bed. As was the custom he poured her a glass of orange juice and waited until she had finished it all.

"Shameful carrying me around when you look like you've gone 10 rounds with Mohammed Ali. I should be tucking you in bed, not the other way around!" The woman said fluffing her pillow. Looking up she caught sight of Drake. "Good you get this boy to rest, he looks horrible! He's black and blue!"

Drake smiled at the older woman. She was their resident mother hen and she didn't care, vampire or no vampire; If you looked younger than her she was going to mother you. "I'll take care of him right now. And we'll get someone to look after you."

Drake looked at Scud. "Blade said he would not hold back but I am not happy with what he has done."

Scud reached up to press a kiss on Drake's cheek. Before taking his arm and leaving the room. "It's alright. He said I'm doing better than I was. I actually made him work for the last few bruises. I fed so I'm not feeling any pain and when I rise the bruises will be gone. No permanent harm done."

"I'm not happy about the temporary harm." Drake said with the hint of a growl in his voice.

"Calm down babe. I need to learn and Blade is just making sure I learn as much as I can as fast as I can. It's been a long day." Scud leaned his head on Drake's shoulder. "Right now I just want to climb into bed, snuggle up next to you and sleep."

* * *

Drake opened his eyes. He always tended to wake before Scud. Rather than rouse him, Drake got out of bed and went to the dresser pulling out the gift wrapped box. He wanted to Scud to have something to remind him that someone did care about him.

At first it was all about feeding the demon. Since sex only happened when the need to feed was upon Drake, he and Scud had plenty of time to talk. Scud's life had been difficult, empty; not a life at all but an existence handed from one vampire owner to another. And yet Scud had come through it all with the ability to care still intact. When you got beyond the smart-assed stoner exterior, Scud was loyal, eager to please and even still a bit naïve.

Drake walked back to the bed and looked down at the dark haired man. When he was at rest, Scud seemed so young, so innocent. One hundred years from now, Drake would wake and look down on this same face. He reached out and brushed aside a lock of the too long brown hair revealing the mole that resided just to the left of Scud's mouth.

That mark drew attention to Scud's mouth. Drake would never get used to the stares Scud got from women and men alike. Or the lust he inspired in them, but Scud belonged to Drake. Scud didn't even notice the attention.

Drake sat on the side of the bed and brushed his lips across Scud's temple and whispered, "Wake up love. I have something for you."

Scud opened his eyes, blinking up at Drake. "Good morning."

"You look much better this morning, no bruises." Drake said.

Scud sat up, "I knew they would fade while I was at rest. Guess I'm ready for round two. But you have to stay calm, Babe. Blade is right you know. Hassan is going to try to kill me, I'm going to have to be able to fight back against him like he's trying to kill me." Scud stretched and sighed. "Did I hear you say you had something for me?"

Drake held out a wrapped box, "I wanted you to have something to remind you that I love you."

Scud sat up and took the box, "You're going to spoil me." He said removing the wrapping paper to reveal the box from the jewelers. "Drake, do you know how expensive they are?"

"I'm the CEO and owner of Talos Industries, I think I can afford it." Drake said with a smile. "Well are you going to open it or just admire the box?"

Scud opened it revealing the bracelet. He read the inscription. "Drake, I know I'm loved. You worry about me, protect me, take care of me." Scud leaned forward and kissed Drake. "Thank you, for loving me and making sure that I always know that." Scud said placing the bracelet on his wrist while Drake to fastened it in place.

* * *

Hannibal stood in the training room with Abby. "Don't worry I'll make short work of pretty boy and then we'll go out for coffee."

Abby saw Blade looking at them with a smirk. "Hannibal, you might be underestimating him."

"Scud?" Hannibal laughed. "The only thing that whore knows how to do is bend over and offer his ass to every vampire that comes along." Hannibal glared at Scud when he entered the room with Drake at his side. "See, look at how he's all sucked up to Drake."

"You said he's a shifter, do you even know what else he's capable of?" Abby asked.

"It doesn't matter, all he's ever been is a fuck toy for suckheads." Hannibal said taking off his shirt.

Across the room Blade listened to Hannibal brag as Drake and Scud walked up to him.

"Blade," Drake nodded "What is this? Hannibal and Scud?"

"I figure the two of them can get rid of some of that bad blood." Blade said as Scud walked over to the side of the room to remove his shirt. Lowering his voice so only Drake could hear, "King needs a lesson in humility and Scud needs a confidence boost."

Seeing Scud coming back, Blade spoke to him. "You healed completely, good. All I want you to do is keep King from touching you, of course if you want to give him a couple of love taps along the way I won't stop you. Just remember, he won't heal like you do."

Scud and Blade walked to the center of the room and Hannibal joined them. "I'm just refereeing this thing." Blade said "One rule, no killing each other or serious injury."

Drake looked down as Scud's cell rang. Noticing it was Delores' office extension he picked up the phone. "We'll be right there." Walking over to where Blade was talking to the two he interrupted. "This is going to have to wait. The police want to speak to us."

* * *

"Hello, Detective Moss, I'm Josh Frohmeyer, Mr Drake's assistant." Scud said shaking the detectives hand. "Mr Drake will be joining us in a moment, can I get you a cup of coffee?"

"No thank you. I'd just like to ask a few questions." The plainclothes cop said.

"Certainly, Come into my office." Scud said opening the door. "Delores, make sure we aren't disturbed."

The woman nodded as the two disappeared in the office.

"Please have a seat," Scud said as he rounded the desk to sit in his chair. "It's not often we get a visit from the police, I have to admit to being curious about the reason you asked to see us."

"I'd rather wait for Mr Drake to join us if you don't mind." The officer said looking around. "Nice office. All I have is a cubicle at the station."

The door opened admitting Drake. Scud stood up "Mr Drake this is Detective Moss, he'd like to ask us some questions." Scud said, moving to lean against the wall behind the desk leaving the chair for Drake.

"Did I forget to pay my parking tickets again?" Drake said with a smile as he sat down.

"Oh no nothing like that, something a bit more serious I'm afraid." The detective answered. "The city picked up trash in this area yesterday. They were dumping the truck that did the pick ups along this route and discovered the body of a woman. She had been strangled to death and her body placed in a dumpster. We were able to identify her fairly quickly, she was wearing her work uniform from J&S Janitorial Services. This is the only building in this area that they hold a contract for."

"Yes, they acquired the contract under the previous owners." Scud said.

"Their work was satisfactory we saw no reason to change. I had Josh renew the contract when it expired." Drake answered.

"You said that you had identified her. We had an established crew that came in. We treated them rather like employees of the company." Scud said. "We gave them bonuses at Christmas, access to our employee credit union, things like that. We would like to help the family. It's standard procedure with our own employees."

"Talos sounds like a generous company to work for." Moss said. "You don't see that too often."

"We have good employees, it makes sense to take care of them, Detective." Drake said.

"Her name was Graciela Viero." Moss saw Scud's reaction. "You knew her Mr Frohmeyer?"

"She cleaned this floor. I was acquainted with her, yes. We would speak in passing on nights I worked late." Scud shook his head. "She had two small children, a husband. It's a tragedy."

"Yes it is, she was a hard worker." Drake agreed. "Whatever we can do to help you, just let us know."

"Well to start, I've noticed several cameras in the building, CCTV? Do you record or just monitor?"

"Digital recording." Scud answered. "I'll call security and have them give you access."

"That would be a big help. What time did they clean?" Moss asked. "It would help me narrow down a search time."

"They usually came in somewhere around 8 or 9 pm. They logged in and out with security, I'll instruct them to show you the logs too." Scud said.

"Well then, that is all I need for the moment." Moss said as he stood up.

Scud handed the detective a business card. "If you need anything else please call. We'll have our head of security meet you at the reception desk in the lobby."

"Thank you Mr Frohmeyer, Mr Drake." the detective shook hands with each of them and left the office.

Once the door was closed, Drake said. "Hassan."

"Are you sure? I mean she was strangled." Scud said.

"Hassan has a familiar on the inside. Why don't you go help Detective Moss? You might spot someone who didn't belong with the crew." Drake said. "I'm going to go talk to Blade, we're going to have to find out where he is hiding before he finds out who you are."


	10. Chapter 10

Hassan hung up the phone. His spy had to be wrong, Drake and another man? Drake was a warrior and now some pathetic creature had turned him into a catamite? This was more than bringing his long time friend back to the fold, it was saving Drake from himself.

He looking out the window at the moon. His minions would return soon and the Nightstalkers would be no more. Hassan held no delusions of them destroying Blade, the daywalker was a skilled warrior but without his people he would be weak. It would take time for him to build a new support network and while Blade was busy doing that, Hassan would be able to focus on Drake.

Hassan stood up and went to where the woman sat terrified. He grabbed her hair pulling her up from the chair. Using her hair he pulled her head back forcing her to see his bared fangs before he plunged them into her throat ripping through both her carotid artery and jugular vein. He began lapping at the flowing blood. Fear makes them taste so much sweeter he thought to himself.

* * *

Very few things in life amused Blade but watching Drake try to teach Scud to handle a sword had quickly made it's way to the top ten list.

"Drake stop." Blade said trying to wipe the smile off of his face.

"You think this is funny B?" Scud asked frustration evident in his tone.

"Actually, I do. Two hours and you haven't improved one bit. By now you should be able to at least block something."

"Do you think you can do better?" Drake asked.

"I know I can do better. The quickest way to teach a child not to touch a hot stove is to let him touch a hot stove. You're afraid of hurting him Drake, he doesn't even feel those love taps you're giving him. He knows you aren't going to hurt him so he's not trying as hard as he could." Blade explained. "You two aren't fighting, you're dancing and dancing isn't going to do him a damned bit of good."

Drake considered Blade's argument for a moment. "You're right I'm not pushing him because I don't want to hurt him." Drake handed the training sword to Blade.

"All you have to do is keep me from touching you, Scud." Blade said. "But I'm not going to hold back and I'll probably fight dirty because that is what you can expect from Hassan."

Scud looked to Drake and a second later was holding his arm "Ow!"

"Pay attention Scud. Next time, it's really going to hurt. Hassan isn't going to wait for you to get ready, he's going to try to take you out right from the beginning." Blade said.

Scud saw the wooden sword coming toward his head and lifted his own to block it only to scream in pain when Blade struck him in the ribs. He was now pressing his arm against his side and trying to catch his breath.

"He's going to try to fake you out. Make you fall for one thing and then strike somewhere else." Blade said. "And once you react to the pain, he's going to kill you." Blade gave Scud a good hard tap on the side of his head making him see stars.

"That's just how easy it's going to be for him Scud." Blade said. "You had better figure out fast how to use everything you have against him, and I'll tell you right now that brain of yours is probably the best weapon you have. Common sense may elude you from time to time, but you're a fuckin genius when it comes to knowledge.

You know what hurts them. It's why you can come up with all these damned weapons. Use it!"

Scud had managed to sit up.

"Take a couple of hours to rest, then we start your lessons for real." Blade said turning and walking out of the room.

* * *

Hassan watched the man as he sat down. How simple the human's were after all these centuries. You could still give what you wanted from them by appealing to their lusts or feeding their fears. Ayers was quickly brought to heel through fear. And although Ayers had tried to find some clue to this man's identity, he had failed. Hassan was now forced to place a second wolf among the sheep.

Hassan studied the man, older and sitting there stinking of cheap whiskey. "So Mr Wright. I understand that you have a slight problem, one that I may be able to assist you with. The small sum of $1,500 owed to a gentleman known on the street as 'Gator'?"

The man looked up in shock. No one knew how deep in debt he was to his bookie, not even his wife.

"Don't be alarmed, I have my sources. They bring me the names of men in situations like yours and I offer to help. I'm offering to help you Mr Wright." Hassan said. "Your debt will be completely erased."

Wright sat up a little straighter in his chair. "You'd help me?"

"Yes, I can have the debt cancelled tonight, of course there is one small favor I would ask in return."

"Favor?" Wright asked. "What kind of favor?"

Hassan chuckled. "Relax, I won't ask you to kill anyone. I simply need a bit of information. Information that you are in a position to discover. You work as a security guard at Talos Industries, I'm simply interested in knowing who comes and goes there. Especially after hours."

"You want me to spy?!" Wright said.

"No you mistake me, I have no interest in their corporate secrets. I simply want to know who comes and goes, it's an innocent enough favor. Your bookie is not known as a patient man. We both know that he has some unpleasantness in mind if you don't pay him on Friday." Hassan leaned forward. "I'm giving you a way to avoid the unpleasantness."

"So just tell you who comes and goes, right?" Wright asked. Seeing Hassan's nod he continued. "I suppose that's innocent enough, I'll do it."

Hassan pulled out a cell phone and dialed someone. "Have Mr Wright's debt erased." Hassan hung up the phone. "Well Mr Wright it's taken care of. I had a feeling you would turn out to be Mr Right."

* * *

Scud groaned in pain as he tried to climb to his feet again. "Better Scud."

"Better? Every time I stand up you knock me on my ass." Scud moaned. Feeling every blow the daywalker had landed on him.

"Yes but you're starting to make me work for it." Blade said looking at Scud. His nose was bleeding, his right eye was already swelling shut and his entire torso was a kaleidoscope of red black and blue. "Okay lets knock off for the day."

Scud nodded and began to slowly make his way to the door, just when Abby and King decided to come into the makeshift training room.

"Well look who got his ass handed to him?" King said. "Not exactly the pretty boy you were this morning are you Scud?"

"King you know what?" Blade said. "I think tomorrow I want you to join us. You could use a little practice too.

I think having you and Scud spar a few rounds would do you good. That is if you're up to sparring with Scud. I wouldn't want to get you in over your head."

"Me, in over my head against Scud?" Hannibal laughed. "That will be the day."

"Go on Scud." Blade said. "Get some rest."

* * *

"Thank you Irene." Scud said. He felt better already. Irene had taken one look at him and insisted he feed immediately. When he lifted her in his arms she protested.

"You're hurt! Put me down this instant Joshua Frohmeyer or I'll tan your hide!"

"I feel fine Irene. Let me get you settled and I promise I won't lift a finger." Scud carried her t o the feeding room and settled her on a bed. As was the custom he poured her a glass of orange juice and waited until she had finished it all.

"Shameful carrying me around when you look like you've gone 10 rounds with Mohammed Ali. I should be tucking you in bed, not the other way around!" The woman said fluffing her pillow. Looking up she caught sight of Drake. "Good you get this boy to rest, he looks horrible! He's black and blue!"

Drake smiled at the older woman. She was their resident mother hen and she didn't care, vampire or no vampire; If you looked younger than her she was going to mother you. "I'll take care of him right now. And we'll get someone to look after you."

Drake looked at Scud. "Blade said he would not hold back but I am not happy with what he has done."

Scud reached up to press a kiss on Drake's cheek. Before taking his arm and leaving the room. "It's alright. He said I'm doing better than I was. I actually made him work for the last few bruises. I fed so I'm not feeling any pain and when I rise the bruises will be gone. No permanent harm done."

"I'm not happy about the temporary harm." Drake said with the hint of a growl in his voice.

"Calm down babe. I need to learn and Blade is just making sure I learn as much as I can as fast as I can. It's been a long day." Scud leaned his head on Drake's shoulder. "Right now I just want to climb into bed, snuggle up next to you and sleep."

* * *

Drake opened his eyes. He always tended to wake before Scud. Rather than rouse him, Drake got out of bed and went to the dresser pulling out the gift wrapped box. He wanted to Scud to have something to remind him that someone did care about him.

At first it was all about feeding the demon. Since sex only happened when the need to feed was upon Drake, he and Scud had plenty of time to talk. Scud's life had been difficult, empty; not a life at all but an existence handed from one vampire owner to another. And yet Scud had come through it all with the ability to care still intact. When you got beyond the smart-assed stoner exterior, Scud was loyal, eager to please and even still a bit naïve.

Drake walked back to the bed and looked down at the dark haired man. When he was at rest, Scud seemed so young, so innocent. One hundred years from now, Drake would wake and look down on this same face. He reached out and brushed aside a lock of the too long brown hair revealing the mole that resided just to the left of Scud's mouth.

That mark drew attention to Scud's mouth. Drake would never get used to the stares Scud got from women and men alike. Or the lust he inspired in them, but Scud belonged to Drake. Scud didn't even notice the attention.

Drake sat on the side of the bed and brushed his lips across Scud's temple and whispered, "Wake up love. I have something for you."

Scud opened his eyes, blinking up at Drake. "Good morning."

"You look much better this morning, no bruises." Drake said.

Scud sat up, "I knew they would fade while I was at rest. Guess I'm ready for round two. But you have to stay calm, Babe. Blade is right you know. Hassan is going to try to kill me, I'm going to have to be able to fight back against him like he's trying to kill me." Scud stretched and sighed. "Did I hear you say you had something for me?"

Drake held out a wrapped box, "I wanted you to have something to remind you that I love you."

Scud sat up and took the box, "You're going to spoil me." He said removing the wrapping paper to reveal the box from the jewelers. "Drake, do you know how expensive they are?"

"I'm the CEO and owner of Talos Industries, I think I can afford it." Drake said with a smile. "Well are you going to open it or just admire the box?"

Scud opened it revealing the bracelet. He read the inscription. "Drake, I know I'm loved. You worry about me, protect me, take care of me." Scud leaned forward and kissed Drake. "Thank you, for loving me and making sure that I always know that." Scud said placing the bracelet on his wrist while Drake to fastened it in place.

* * *

Hannibal stood in the training room with Abby. "Don't worry I'll make short work of pretty boy and then we'll go out for coffee."

Abby saw Blade looking at them with a smirk. "Hannibal, you might be underestimating him."

"Scud?" Hannibal laughed. "The only thing that whore knows how to do is bend over and offer his ass to every vampire that comes along." Hannibal glared at Scud when he entered the room with Drake at his side. "See, look at how he's all sucked up to Drake."

"You said he's a shifter, do you even know what else he's capable of?" Abby asked.

"It doesn't matter, all he's ever been is a fuck toy for suckheads." Hannibal said taking off his shirt.

Across the room Blade listened to Hannibal brag as Drake and Scud walked up to him.

"Blade," Drake nodded "What is this? Hannibal and Scud?"

"I figure the two of them can get rid of some of that bad blood." Blade said as Scud walked over to the side of the room to remove his shirt. Lowering his voice so only Drake could hear, "King needs a lesson in humility and Scud needs a confidence boost."

Seeing Scud coming back, Blade spoke to him. "You healed completely, good. All I want you to do is keep King from touching you, of course if you want to give him a couple of love taps along the way I won't stop you. Just remember, he won't heal like you do."

Scud and Blade walked to the center of the room and Hannibal joined them. "I'm just refereeing this thing." Blade said "One rule, no killing each other or serious injury."

Drake looked down as Scud's cell rang. Noticing it was Delores' office extension he picked up the phone. "We'll be right there." Walking over to where Blade was talking to the two he interrupted. "This is going to have to wait. The police want to speak to us."

* * *

"Hello, Detective Moss, I'm Josh Frohmeyer, Mr Drake's assistant." Scud said shaking the detectives hand. "Mr Drake will be joining us in a moment, can I get you a cup of coffee?"

"No thank you. I'd just like to ask a few questions." The plainclothes cop said.

"Certainly, Come into my office." Scud said opening the door. "Delores, make sure we aren't disturbed."

The woman nodded as the two disappeared in the office.

"Please have a seat," Scud said as he rounded the desk to sit in his chair. "It's not often we get a visit from the police, I have to admit to being curious about the reason you asked to see us."

"I'd rather wait for Mr Drake to join us if you don't mind." The officer said looking around. "Nice office. All I have is a cubicle at the station."

The door opened admitting Drake. Scud stood up "Mr Drake this is Detective Moss, he'd like to ask us some questions." Scud said, moving to lean against the wall behind the desk leaving the chair for Drake.

"Did I forget to pay my parking tickets again?" Drake said with a smile as he sat down.

"Oh no nothing like that, something a bit more serious I'm afraid." The detective answered. "The city picked up trash in this area yesterday. They were dumping the truck that did the pick ups along this route and discovered the body of a woman. She had been strangled to death and her body placed in a dumpster. We were able to identify her fairly quickly, she was wearing her work uniform from J&S Janitorial Services. This is the only building in this area that they hold a contract for."

"Yes, they acquired the contract under the previous owners." Scud said.

"Their work was satisfactory we saw no reason to change. I had Josh renew the contract when it expired." Drake answered.

"You said that you had identified her. We had an established crew that came in. We treated them rather like employees of the company." Scud said. "We gave them bonuses at Christmas, access to our employee credit union, things like that. We would like to help the family. It's standard procedure with our own employees."

"Talos sounds like a generous company to work for." Moss said. "You don't see that too often."

"We have good employees, it makes sense to take care of them, Detective." Drake said.

"Her name was Graciela Viero." Moss saw Scud's reaction. "You knew her Mr Frohmeyer?"

"She cleaned this floor. I was acquainted with her, yes. We would speak in passing on nights I worked late." Scud shook his head. "She had two small children, a husband. It's a tragedy."

"Yes it is, she was a hard worker." Drake agreed. "Whatever we can do to help you, just let us know."

"Well to start, I've noticed several cameras in the building, CCTV? Do you record or just monitor?"

"Digital recording." Scud answered. "I'll call security and have them give you access."

"That would be a big help. What time did they clean?" Moss asked. "It would help me narrow down a search time."

"They usually came in somewhere around 8 or 9 pm. They logged in and out with security, I'll instruct them to show you the logs too." Scud said.

"Well then, that is all I need for the moment." Moss said as he stood up.

Scud handed the detective a business card. "If you need anything else please call. We'll have our head of security meet you at the reception desk in the lobby."

"Thank you Mr Frohmeyer, Mr Drake." the detective shook hands with each of them and left the office.

Once the door was closed, Drake said. "Hassan."

"Are you sure? I mean she was strangled." Scud said.

"Hassan has a familiar on the inside. Why don't you go help Detective Moss? You might spot someone who didn't belong with the crew." Drake said. "I'm going to go talk to Blade, we're going to have to find out where he is hiding before he finds out who you are."


	11. Chapter 11

"You're sure it wasn't just a random murder?" Hannibal asked. "I mean murder rates are up this year."

Drake glared at King. "I know Hassan and I know how his mind works. If you want to find out what's going on at the top, you start at the bottom."

"What does that mean?" Hannibal asked.

"It means the best way to get information on the king in his tower is to talk to the maid in the servants quarters." Blade said.

"Scud is with this Detective Moss reviewing what is on the security cameras. Hopefully we'll find Hassan's man." Drake said.

"What about your people here Drake, they are in danger too." Abby said.

"Scud upgraded our security down here months ago. We just never implemented those changes. It shouldn't be too hard to do." Drake said.

* * *

"Wait go back." Scud to the guard operating the equipment, "Right there."

"You don't recognize him Mr Frohmeyer?" Detective Moss asked.

"No I've never seen him before." Scud said picking up the log book. "John Ayers. That name isn't familiar either. Usually if they send a substitute or a replacement it's someone that has been with them for a while."

Moss made a note in the little pad he was carrying. "He's the only one out of place?"

Scud was searching the last page of the log book. " He's the only one." Scud sat the book down and turned toward to guard. "Mr...Wright." Scud read the name off of the guard's badge. "I see where Graciela Viero and Ayers signed in, but neither one signed out. Did someone start a new log book?"

"No sir, not that I know of." Wright said eyeballing the bracelet on Scud's wrist. "I can ask my relief when they come in."

"Yes do that. And get those copies done for Detective Moss." Scud said. "Mr Wright will take care of you Detective. I need to contact the Viero family, see if they need anything."

"Of course." The detective said. "Thank you for your help. It makes things a lot easier. We'll find this Ayers, bring him in for questioning."

Scud shook the detective's hand again and got on the elevator. He did need to make sure the Viero family was contacted, but he also needed to check the other security cameras. The ones not tied into the corporate monitoring system.

* * *

Hassan hung up the phone. Wright had called and given him a good news/bad news scenario. The good news, he had discovered the identity of Drake's little morsel. The bad news, Ayers had been sloppy.

First to handle the bad news. Ayers had to go before anyone found him. Ayers would lead the Police and worse yet, Drake right to Hassan. Hassan had no desire to face Drake in his current state, Drake would kill him. Hassan's boasts in Drake's office had guaranteed that. Drake had no desire to see things go back to the way they were.

"Milos, it's almost dusk. I want you to find Ayers and make sure he can't talk to anyone. The man has to take his own life; but before he does He needs to confess his sins." Hassan explained. "Tie up all the loose ends for the humans."

The vampire who was sitting on the couch across the room stood up, bowed to Hassan and turned to leave the room. One problem down, thought Hassan.

Now for the good news, he had a name. Josh Frohmeyer and he knew Frohmeyer worked at Talos. Drake's personal assistant, of course Drake would keep this one close after what happened with Sehkmet. Hassan had to find a way to separate the bastard from Drake.

Hassan looked at the computer on his desk. There was a wealth of information behind that little screen. Available to anyone who knew how to dig it out. Hassan typed Josh Frohmeyer into the search box and selected images. Hassan looked at the photo of the man who had corrupted Drake.

* * *

Scud had forgotten all about his training with Blade. Instead he was busy activating the security system. Blade and Drake found him in the security room busy checking camera feeds and making sure that everything was working correctly before bringing the system online.

"Scud, did you forget something?" Blade asked standing behind him and looking at the bank of monitors.

"Hmmm? What?" Scud asked. Then it dawned on him. "Oh shit, B! I forgot all about it. I got caught up with this."  
"Bringing the other system online Scud?" Drake asked. "Did you and Moss find something?"

"I'll say." Scud replied. "Graciela usually worked with a kid named Jess Miller. He was in college Pre-Law. He was working with J&S to help with expenses. On his way to work he got in an accident, hit and run. So Car ran a red light and plowed into the kid's bike. He's in the hospital. J&S sent in a last minute replacement, John Ayers."

Scud reached over and did something on one of the monitors. Drake and Blade watched on Scud's shoulder as a woman and man entered the floor. "Graciela and Ayers."

"This is from the concealed camera in Delores' fake rubber tree?" Drake asked.

"Yeah keep watching." Scud said and fast forwarded the recording. Graciela was coming out of the bathroom carrying a bucket with cleaning implements. Ayers was making a show of plugging in a vacuum cord. Graciela placed the bucket on the janitor's cart and reached for a roll of toilet paper. The three watched as Ayers wrapped the cord around her neck strangling her.

Ayers grabbed the the woman's legs and dragged her into the elevator. He then came back into the office."

"I figure he was probably searching our offices for something at this point. Moss is going to find this when he reviews the elevator tapes and he already knows Ayers was an oddball. Wrapped up nice and neat but he will be back here with questions." Scud said. "No obvious motive. At least not for the police."

"I suggest we find Ayers before the police do. He can lead us to Hassan." Blade said interrupting Drake's train of thought.

"I called J&S and got a home address for him." Scud said holding up a sticky note. "I kind of figured you might want to talk to him first B."

"I'll take Abby and King with me." Blade said taking the note.

"Hey B, Find Craig. He's been working on the new Pimpmobile. He's got it up to par mechanically. No aftermarket modifications yet, but it's fast." Scud said. "Craig's the blond kid with freckles."

"The one that likes Van Halen T-shirts?" Blade asked.

"That's him." Drake said.

* * *

Detective Moss was looking over Ayers' record. He had a few arrests but hadn't done any time since a couple of them were juvenile offenses. There was one misdemeanor assault as an adult that he walked on. Couple of speeding tickets, nothing to indicate that he would attack and kill a young mother but he had and inside the Talos Building.

He looked up at the clock, 5:30 pm. Awfully late to call the office. He pulled out the card he had gotten from Frohmeyer earlier. There was a cell number. He decided to chance making a call. freaking voicemail he thought.

"Mr Frohmeyer, this is Detective Moss. Please call me when you get this message. I do have some additional questions for you and Mr Drake concerning the death of Mrs Viero."

* * *

Scud ignored the ringing phone. He continued massaging Drake's shoulders. "You've been tense ever since I mentioned Ayers searching our offices. What's wrong, Babe?"

Drake reached up and grabbed Scud's left hand. "Nothing, I'm probably just being paranoid."

"Drake, you know right now keeping something from me is not protecting me." Scud said.

Drake sighed, "Hassan is, I believe you would call it...homophobic. It's his upbringing. Men just don't touch other men. The Drake he knew all those centuries ago shared his belief. The demon is a different story. When Sehkmet died, I realized the demon saw no difference between a man or woman, lust could be as easily sated by one as the other. It sees no difference between the sexes, it chooses by the ability to feed it and survive.

When the demon chooses, the man eventually grows to love the chosen one. It took some time for me to accept being in love with you, but it was actually quicker than with Sehkmet. Because I avoided having sex with you for a long time when it wasn't spurred by the demon. We spent more time talking than fucking. I was so busy fucking Sehkmet it took over a century for me to know her."

Drake touched the bracelet he had given to Scud that morning.

"Hassan could accept woman. He would simply kill her and be done with it. He will not be able to accept you. He will hate you because of your gender. He won't just kill you he will subject you to all the tortures of hell he can imagine."

Drake answered his phone when it rang. "What?" Drake listened for a moment and an evil smile began to form on his face. "Oh yes we have the perfect place, the lower levels. Scud and I will meet you."

"Was that B?" Scud asked as he continued rubbing Drake's shoulders. "Yes it was. He wanted to know if we had somewhere nice and private to talk to Mr Ayers." Drake stood up. "Come on lets go. Since we never did finish remodeling down there, all of Danica Talos' little 'play' rooms are still there. I think they might come in handy for a little chat, don't you?"

Scud gave a shudder. "I hate those rooms."

"Exactly why we're taking him there." Drake said. "Come on lets go meet Mr Ayers."

* * *

Blade was dragging Ayers along by his arm. When he reached the center of the room he released his hold. "I got there just in time. Seems Hassan sent Ayers here a pink slip in the form of one of his 'lesser' vamps."

"John Ayers, do you even realize the trouble that you are in?" Drake asked. "Did Hassan bother to tell you just how deep you would be getting?"

"I didn't have a choice! He threatened to kill me." Ayers protested. "He ordered me to find out who you were seeing!"

"Did he order you to leave two children without their mother too?" Scud asked. At his words everyone turned to look at him, shocked at the growling deep voice coming from Scud.

Everyone except Drake, that is. "Control your anger, Scud."

"I can't. All I can do is think about two children stripped of their mother. I know what this pitiful excuse for a human has condemned them to." Scud spat.

Drake looked at Scud for a moment. "Yes you do know, and that little tiny speck of the demonic in you senses it." Drake thought for a moment, "King take the girl and leave, wait outside."

As soon as the door had closed behind the two Nightstalkers Drake turned back to Ayers. "Dying would have been the better option for you Ayers. You don't have any idea of the hell Hassan sent you into.

Let him out, love. Show Mr Ayers here what he was looking for."

Scud began to shift into his demonic form. Drake wrapped his arms around the emerging demon. "You will tell us everything we want to know. If not, I'll feed you to him." Drake said looking at Ayers and kissing the struggling demon's cheek as he shifted to his own La Magra form.

* * *

Hassan stood up abruptly. A shiver went down his spine. Drake, he thought. Hassan smiled for a moment.

The smiled faded from his face. This was not Drake, it was just as demonic as Drake but different. Drake was there like an afterthought in the background. Another demon? But it couldn't be, could it? Demons had to be brought into the world through specific routes, either birth to a human woman or...

Drake wouldn't have. He had sworn an oath on the grave of his human father than he would never pass that part of the gift on. Hassan had begged him numerous times to give him that gift and been left wanting. Had Drake given the gift Hassan had craved for so long to this Josh? What other gifts did this Josh enjoy that had been denied to Hassan?

Hassan dialed Milos number again. The vampire should have been back by now. How long did it take to stage a human suicide?

* * *

Drake tucked an exhausted Scud into bed. The shift had taken a lot out him this time. Maybe it was the reason he shifted with that touch of the demonic over taking him.

Drake was wasn't angry but he was stressed, Hassan had to know who he was looking for now. Scud' anger had bled all over Drake when he had shifted, Hassan had to have felt it too. And Hassan would have another reason to justify his hatred.

How many times had Hassan begged on bended knee for a touch of the demon and Drake had withheld it. Had gone so far as to swear and oath over his father's grave to get the man to stop asking, and Drake had broken that oath for Scud.

"I'm sorry." Drake said.

"For what?" Scud asked reaching out to lay his hand on Drake's arm.

"For everything. Hassan is hunting you now and it's my fault." Drake sighed. "If I hadn't turned you, you wouldn't be in danger."

"If you hadn't turned me I would never have had the chance to be happy, and I am happy with you Drake." Scud pushed himself up to lean against the headboard. "I might also be dead already. You keep telling me I am in danger, but how much more danger would I be in if I was human?

You didn't bring me into this world Drake. Reinhardt did, a long time ago. He gave me false promises and I fell for them. I bounced from owner to owner never knowing which one would finally kill me. You saved me from all of that.

So Hassan hates me. He's not the first suckhead that has hated me, actually pretty much all of them have hated me and the funny thing is, I'm still here and they are all dead. Maybe fate likes me.

But there's one thing I think you are dwelling on, and you shouldn't. Sehkmet."

"She died because of me, Scud. Don't you understand that?" Drake said pained. "I couldn't protect her, and now I'm living the nightmare all over again with you.

"You loved her, and she died. You feel guilty because she couldn't protect herself, you think you failed her and now you've just decided that you have failed me too. You haven't." Scud told him. "You have given everything you could to protect me. You sought out a truce with Blade to protect me. And you are planning on killing Hassan to protect me. How much more do you think you can do Babe? You are doing everything that you can do. Now all we can do is just hope fate still has a soft spot for me."

* * *

Abby and Hannibal were waiting for Blade when he returned to the subbasement level.

"Well?" Abby asked looking at the daywalker.

"Get some rest, we go out first thing in the morning." Blade said. "Ayers gave us the location of three nests, we'll clear them out during the day."

"What happened to Ayers?" Hannibal asked.

"I let him go. There wasn't much left after Drake and Scud got through with him." Blade said. "He probably won't last until sunrise.

* * *

Scud's eyes opened. He hadn't been resting for very long. He could feel Drake spooned against his back. He could also tell that Drake was deep into his rest by the leaden arm laying across his hip. He carefully slid out of the embrace. Walking over to the closet he pulled on a pair of jeans and a wife beater. Pulling them on he made his way out of the room.

The hallway was brightly lit telling him it was not yet midnight. The lights in the corridor were set to dim at midnight. He made his way to the training room.

Picking up one of the wooden swords he swung it through the air. He concentrated on the intricate moves that Drake had been trying to teach him. Again and again he practiced the thrusts and parries.

"I thought you would be resting, not in here sparring with shadows." Blade said.

"I can't rest. Guess I'm the first Suckhead in history to get insomnia." Scud said.

"You know it works better if you have someone to spar with." Blade said picking up the second sword and attacking only to find Scud blocking everything he threw at him.

Scud wasn't worried about getting hit. He blocked and parried and then even went on the attack. It took a few minutes for him to realize that he was faster than Blade. Not by much but still a bit faster. Blade grunted as Scud's sword connected with his ribs. Scud looked at Blade in shock.

"That is what you need to do to Hassan." Blade said. "Want to tell me where this Scud has been hiding?" Blade barely blocked Scud's parry.

"I don't know." Scud lowered his weapon. "I think I just decided it was time I take responsibility for myself. I mean I thought I was doing that when I ran away from the orphanage. I ended up on the streets turning tricks till the vamps found me.

All they did was pimp me out from the first one all the way to Damaskinos and when he pulled me off the streets, and sent me to spy on you, I was still letting someone else control my life, depending on someone to make decisions for me so I didn't have to be responsible.

When Damaskinos died I could have walked away, but I didn't I just let myself get sold again to Danica Talos. Then Drake came along, he was kinder than the rest. He cared about me.

If I just sat here and cowered, he wouldn't say anything. He'd protect me. He loves me, unconditionally. He's worried, B." Scud looked at the wooden sword in his hand. "He's worried because I have never in my life stepped up and taken responsibility for myself. He deserves better than that from me."

"Scud," Blade said shaking his head. "Do I look like Oprah? Shut up and fight."


	12. Chapter 12

"I noticed there aren't any tapes of this floor." Moss said settling into the chair. "You don't monitor this floor?"

"No, It's just Mr Drake and I on this floor and of course Delores. We have the cameras mainly to watch new employees make sure they are trust worthy. It also keeps the insurance premiums down." Scud answered.

"That's too bad, I found something interesting when I fully reviewed the surveillance tapes. Mrs Viero was killed up here. Ayers took her body down on the elevator." Moss said.

"He killed her here?" Scud said feigning shock. "But why?"

"I was hoping you could answer that." Moss took a sip of the coffee Delores have given him while he was waiting. "What exactly does Talos Industries do?"

"Well we're a highly diversified company. Some construction and architecture, a little medical research and development, but mostly R &D on environmental conservation. We also fund a few private research projects through grants." Scud answered leaning back in his chair.

"Medical research? Like Pharmaceuticals?" Moss prompted.

"We avoid the drug business, too many lawsuits. Medical diagnostic equipment." Scud said.

Moss' cell phone began ringing. He took it out and looked at the caller ID. "Excuse me, I need to take this call."

"I'll step out for a moment." Scud said. He stood up and went through a connecting door to Drake's office. He pretended to be busy looking through the filing cabinet. In a minute or so Moss came to the door.

"Mr Frohmeyer, could we continue this later. Mr Ayers was located this morning." Moss told him.

"Really? I hope you can find out why he did such a horrible thing." Scud said.

"I'm afraid we won't, Mr Ayers is dead. I'll be in touch." Moss said as he left.

Scud went back into his office and sat down. Delores immediately walked in and sat a huge flower arrangement on his desk. "It looks like somebody has an admirer!" She said brightly. "These were delivered for you a little while ago."

"Thanks Delores." Scud said and took the card out of the holder. Drake was not the flower type and neither was Scud. He opened the sealed envelope and read the message that had been handwritten on the inside:

_The humans say you should give someone flowers before they die,_

_Hassan_

Drake walked into the nest of vampires like he owned it. He was in the mood to take out some aggression and vampires were very good for that. He didn't sense Hassan nearby, but no matter. These lesser creatures would do and what the hell he thought as he shifted into his demon form. A little snack of pure terror wouldn't hurt either.

He grabbed the first vamp and wrapped his fingers around the female's through and ripped it out like tissue paper. That got them up and moving.

"Hassan has been looking for me. Here I am." Drake said as he waded into the group of vampires simply ripping them apart with his bare hands.

"Fuck me!" Hannibal said when the UV grenade went off. Not only was it bright, it actually carried a bit of heat, like a sunny day laying on the beach.

"Nice." Abby said looking around at the piles of ash that used to be vampires. "WMDs for suckheads, you've gotta love that."

"I think I owe Scud an apology. He is good for something other than fucking vamps. That is one fucking big bang!" Hannibal said. "Now lets go get the stragglers who managed to run."

Blade looked down at the final vamp pinned to the floor by the stakes. "You know what I want you to to tell me. Where's Hassan?"

"I don't know. He took his closest people and left a little before sun-up. Told us to stay here until he had the new nest ready tonight and then he would contact us." The vamp said.

" Looks to me like he left you to get killed." Blade observed. "I want Hassan. So you'd better give me something if you don't want me to open those drapes and fry your ass."

"He said something about the Talos building! Something there he needed to pick up!" The vamp said. "That's all I know. I swear."

"Thank you." Blade said taking out one of the older UV Granades left over from the Damaskinos days.

"Wait! What is that? You said you wouldn't kill me!" The vamp yelled.

"Actually I said I wouldn't open the drapes and let you fry." Blade answered him. "I never said anything about not killing you." Blade pulled the pin and tossed the grenade to land next to the pinned vamp and walked away.

"Delores could you call down to reception and find out who delivered these?" Scud asked trying to stay calm.

"Oh I don't need to call down, he told me his name. Quite a flirt that one, Kahlid Hassan." She said. "Is something wrong?"

"Oh no nothing like that. It's just that the card wasn't signed, and I'd like to know who sent the flowers." Scud told her. "I have to run an errand, I'll just ask at reception if they noticed which florist he works for."

When the elevator arrived Scud stepped on and waited for the door to close. He got off on the second floor and went to the stairs. Opening the door and seeing the stairwell empty he started down. When the door opened on on the lobby it was a dark haired woman that emerged. Scud's mother had been dead for years. No one would recognize her.

Hassan was flirting with the receptionist at the information desk but keeping an eye out for his prey. Drake wasn't in the building and he was sure that this Josh would make a run for it. His familiars were in the parking garage too keeping an eye on the BMW registered to Frohmeyer and Hassan had made sure they knew what this bastard looked like.

When then stairwell door opened Hassan glanced at the woman who came out and then ignored her as she exited the building. He turned back to the flustered girl sitting behind the information desk and turned on the charm.

Scud turned left and walked to the public parking garage at the end of the block. He walked over to a silver 69 Camaro with black racing stripes and opened the door sliding behind the wheel. Starting it up he took out his cell phone and dialed Drake's number.

"Drake, he's here. He just brought me a bunch of flowers. I had to shift to get out of the building. I'll meet you at Babylon." Scud hung up the phone after confirming the message and put the car in gear.

"Hassan is at Talos." Drake said walking up to Blade and the two nightstalkers.

"Scud?" Blade asked.

"He's at Babylon. He got out the hell out of there." Drake said.

"What's Babylon?" Abby asked.

"Neutral ground." Blade answered. "Vamps go there to meet without any hostilities flaring."

"So I guess this means we're doing lunch." Hannibal said.

Hassan looked at his watch. Where was this little catamite? Must still be hiding up in that office of his. And Hassan couldn't hang around here any longer. He noticed a couple of the security guards eyeing him. Although he would have loved to get his hands on the bastard today it wasn't going to happen. He said his goodbye's to the idiotic woman in front of him and walked to the service elevator.

He dialed a number. "When he shows up you call me and don't let him leave. I want this bastard today!"

Drake walked in the door followed by Blade and the nightstalkers. He looked around the restaurant trying to find Scud. He knew Scud had shifted to escape the office and obviously he was maintaining the shift.

"Over there." Blade pointed at a woman sitting in a corner by herself. "She looks a lot like Scud for some reason."

Drake stalked over leaving the others to follow. The woman stood up and smiled with relief. "Thank god." she reached up to give Drake a kiss. She looked at Blade and the two humans.

"Your mother Scud?" Blade questioned.

"I didn't think anyone would recognize her." Scud answered. "And it worked no one followed me. I'm driving the Camaro."

Drake gave the woman a hug before holding her chair out for her to sit. "Beauty and brains, love? Next time I bitch at you for spending too much money on your toys, remind me about this."

"How did he get in? I thought you had all this uber security?" Hannibal asked.

"He got in like any other deliveryman." Scud said reaching into his pocket and pulling out the card that came with the flowers. "He delivered them himself while I was meeting with Detective Moss." Scud handed the card to Drake. "He made it a point to tell Delores his name."

"He probably figured you would do exactly what you did." Blade said "He wanted you to run, he was probably watching for you."

Drake gave Scud's leg a reassuring squeeze under the table. "He won't give up. He's going to be looking for an opportunity."

"I know." Scud said. "He's going to keep trying. I can't do this Drake. I can't spend the next week or month or year looking over my shoulder. I can't live this way. I can't be a prisoner in my own home. Because that is where this is headed.

We both know that I'm the pawn stuck in the middle between you and Hassan. He won't stop until he can get his hands on me, so let him. I just want to get this over with."

"Wait a minute." Abby said. "Have you lost your mind? I thought the whole point here was to keep you alive so Drake doesn't lose it?"

"Drake, Babe, what if we let him catch me. You said he's not going to want to kill me right away right? That means that he would have to take me somewhere and if you were watching you could follow him." Scud said. "Once you find him you can end this."

"No" Drake said. "I'm not letting him get his hands on you!"

"What are you going to do to keep it from happening? Lock me in the subbasement like some fairy tale princess in a tower? I'll go crazy within a week." Scud said.

"Actually it's not a bad idea." Blade said. "Abby, King wait for us outside."

"It's been hours" Hassan yelled into the phone. "What do you mean you haven't seen him? Have you been watching?"

Hassan angrily disconnected the call. He had been positive the little catamite would have run directly to Drake for protection. This was not working out according to plan.

Milos had fucking disappeared, too. Although Ayers had been dealt with. That at least wouldn't come back to him. At this point Hassan had to write him off as a loss, just like all of his people except the small handful he had taken with him before the sun came up. They were among his oldest just like Milos. Not counting himself, there was a grand total of 4 people he could trust but none of them were daywalkers. Hassan had to depend on fucking human familiars until the sun went down in a couple of hours.

Maybe this was for the best. Blade and his nightstalkers had severely weakened him today. Perhaps he should take this night to create more cannon fodder. Cannon Fodder, Hassan had to give the humans credit for their way with words. But even that was risky. Blade would be expecting him to replenish the ranks. But a handful of his familiars turned tonight might work.

Scud sneaked back into the Talos building the same way he had managed to sneak out only this time with Abby Whistler at his side. Once in the stairwell he had shifted back to his own form.

"That's a nice trick." She said.

"More like a life saving trick." Scud told her as they climbed to the second floor and then waited for the elevator.

"Why didn't you just shift in the elevator she asked him as they stepped in.

"Hidden camera. I don't think that would go over too well with security." Scud told her.

"No it wouldn't." Abby paused for a minute and then spoke. "So you created the UV Grenades? Good work. We based the arc bow we use off those grenades. My dad showed us how."

"Yeah W, and I worked on it when B was hunting the reapers." Scud said.

"He told me how you turned on them when Damskinos caught them, but you're here, so it couldn't have been you in the lab." Abby said.

"No I was never even in the building. Damaskinos made sure B wouldn't kill me. He still considered me too valuable to die." Scud sighed.

The elevator doors opened. Blade and Hannibal were lounging by the door to Drake's office. Delores was standing there holding the vase of flowers, while Drake was urging her to get on the elevator. "But shouldn't we ask Mr Frohmeyer first? They are his flowers." She protested.

"I already spoke to Josh, he said just take them down to the secretarial pool. The ladies down there will appreciate them.

And once you've done that you may as well go home. It's close enough to quitting time. Oh neither one of us may be in tomorrow so make sure that the calendars are cleared when you come in." He handed her purse to her.

Scud and Abby stepped off the elevator. "Oh good," Scud said "You got my message. Tell the girls I hope they enjoy them. Goodbye Delores." He said as she stepped on the elevator.

Once the doors closed Drake collapsed into one of the easy chairs in the reception area. Abby turned her head to find herself staring at Drake. She glanced back over and was surprised to find Scud in the chair.

"What the fuck?" Hannibal asked.

"Just proving a point." Blade said. "If Hassan wants Scud so bad, let him have Scud."

"If we really want to get Hassan and his people it has to be during the day." Drake said. "His familiars won't be able to tell any difference between the two of us. His older followers may be able to though."

"So we rest tonight. We wiped out all three of those nests this morning." Blade said. "He may be able to turn a few tonight but nowhere near as many as we killed today. Tomorrow we put out the bait."

Scud laid the sword on the dresser. He had just finished a hard workout with Blade. Now he just wanted a shower and Drake. He made his way into the bathroom for a moment he watched the the form behind the frosted glass. He shed his clothes and slipped into the shower.

Scud had never been the one to start things between them, he didn't know why. Maybe because he thought it would remind Drake of what he had been before, a whore. But somehow that didn't matter right now. In the morning Drake was going to turn himself over to Hassan in Scud's place.

"Drake?" Scud said running his fingers down Drake's back. When Drake turned Scud didn't give himself time to think. He reached up threading his finger's through his lover's hair and pulled Drake's mouth down to his. He slipped his tongue into Drake's mouth, kissing him deeply.

Drake resisted the urge to wrap his arms around his lover. Instead he deepened the kiss feeling Scud's hands stroking, touching...exploring. Drifting lower across his stomach.

"I want you." Scud murmured against Drake's lips. Scud let his hand close around Drake's erection stroking it slowly. "Right here, in the shower."

Drake grabbed Scud's wrist stilling his hand, "Then you are then one that will need the foreplay love." Drake said turning them around so Scud was under the warm spray. "I've been waiting for this, for you to come to me." Drake lowered his head to Scud's neck letting his fangs graze the spot where neck met shoulder. "Never be afraid, love. I belong to you just as much as you belong to me."

Drake turned Scud in his arms, trailing his fingers down along Scud's spine, following it to the tight entrance. Drake teased the tight opening before pressing a finger inside.

Scud's head fell back as he felt Drake slip in a second finger, and then a third. It seemed like an eternity passed while Drake's fingers plunged in and out stretching him but Scud wanted so much more. "Yessss." Scud hissed feeling Drake's cock replace his fingers. Slowly, gently Drake worked his way deeper.

Drake pulled his lover's back tightly against his chest before pushing in that final little bit, raising Scud to his toes and making him groan. Drake wrapped his arms more securely around Scud. Drake carefully began moving, short slow strokes deep inside his lover's body. He smiled hearing Scud's soft cries of pleasure.

It only took a couple of thrusts for Scud to realize that this position not only gave Drake complete control over his body, his prostate was toast. Drake was rubbing against it constantly. Scud's hand went to his cock, he was already feeling the pressure building.

Drake adjusted his grip, pinning Scud's arms against his sides. "No love, I want this to last. I want to hear you scream with pleasure. I want you to remember this moment years from now." Drake said. "If anything goes wrong tomorrow, I want you to have this."

Scud moaned as Drake slowly teasingly moved inside him. With his arms pinned he couldn't do anything except feel that constant slow rubbing against his prostate. "Oh god Drake harder please."

Drake smiled as he bit lightly on Scud's shoulder, "Not yet love. I've only just started and you're already begging." Drake increased the length of his thrusts. Loving Scud's response as the begging turning into a keening whimper.

Scud trembled in Drake's arms. He knew what his lover wanted, pride be damned he thought. He stopped worrying about who might hear and Gave Drake screams, whimpers groans and everything else his lover wanted.


	13. Chapter 13

" Be careful, please. For me." Scud said burying his face in Drake's chest. "I love you babe, I don't want to lose you."

"Don't worry. I'm not planning to leave you." Drake whispered in Scud's ear. "I plan on coming home later and taking you downstairs and making you moan and scream for me like you did last night. Just focus on that." Drake brushed his lips against Scud's temple then picked up Scud's keys and left.

"Blade and Abby won't let him out of their sight you know." Hannibal said. "And he can take care of himself. Drake hasn't survived this long by being careless."

"Hassan is almost as old as he is. They know each other too well." Scud said. "I've got good reason to worry."

"Man, you really got it bad, don't you?" Hannibal said.

"Drake is the first person who hasn't treated me like a whore since I was 14. He treats me like I'm worth something and always has." Scud closed his eyes. "You don't have any idea how important that is to me. I became a ward of the state when my mom died I wasn't even 11 years old. I ran away from the group foster home I was in when I was 14. I got tired of the guy in charge molesting me every chance he got.

I got treated like a whore so I figured I might as well be one. I was selling my ass on the street and dodging pimps. Then the vamps came along and offered me protection, only they never protected me. They just took the place of the pimps I was so desperate to avoid. So yeah, I got it bad for Drake."

* * *

"Well then don't you think you'd better uh, change so you can go riding to his rescue?" Hannibal reminded.

Drake sat in the back of a van surrounded by familiars. It had been so hard not to just tear them to pieces. But Scud was supposed to be scared. He wasn't supposed to fight. So Drake sat there with the useless cuffs around his wrists and pretended to cower.

The driver stopped the vehicle and got out while the rest opened doors and climbed out finally coming around to open then back door. Two of the bigger men grabbed him and yanked him out of the vehicle. Drake noticed he was inside a large space that looked like a warehouse.

The two holding him dragged him over to a steel beam. Using a length of chain they attached the cuffs to the beam.

"What are you doing? Let me go." Drake said as they began to pile back into the van. He hoped the whimpering sounded appropriate.

"Don't worry," The driver said. "You won't be alone long. Hassan wants to meet you. He wants to know what is so special about you that you could turn his friend into a faggot. Once he finds out, he's going to cut off that useless dick between your legs and have it delivered on a silver platter. Hassan thinks that will bring his old friend to his senses." The group of familiars laughter echoed through the empty space as the van pulled out of the building.

* * *

Scud hung up the phone. "They took him to an old warehouse on the southside." Scud reached up on a shelf and took down a large box opening it he reached inside and pulled out two Glocks. He then pulled out two magazines and a box of ammo. Loading one of the guns he handed it to Hannibal. "Silver ammo. It will take out lesser vamps and familiars."

"Nice. But it won't work on Hassan." Hannibal said.

Scud picked up a sword. "This will. Let's go."

* * *

Blade watched the warehouse. He had seen the silver Camaro pull out and follow the van. He trusted Abby to handle the familiars. Blade got out of the car and slipped his sword under his coat. He made his way across the street to the warehouse. Scud and Hannibal would take at least 30 minutes to get here. If Hassan showed up before then Drake would need a little help handling the vampires. Blade noticed a fire escape on the back side of the building and made his way up to the second floor.

* * *

Hassan's mood had improved greatly. He paced back an forth in front of the restrained 'Josh'. The familiars had corralled the little catamite this morning when he went to his car. Drake has sadly neglected the bastard's training. A handful of familiars should not be able to take down a lesser vampire yet this Josh hadn't even tried to fight them.

Hassan was going to enjoy watching this one die. He was personally going to cut out the bastard's heart. Hassan smiled thinking of the rage it would cause in Drake. Things would be righted.

Of course Hassan knew that it would take some time for Drake to forgive him but eventually he would see that Hassan was right. This Josh only held him back from what he could be. Just like that bitch Sehkmet had held him back.

"Hello Josh. We finally have the chance to meet. I am Hassan." Hassan studied the young man "There's no need to play human with me."

Drake said nothing just kept his mouth shut although it was difficult.

"I have to admit to some curiosity where you are concerned, such as how you managed to change him so completely. You see Drake and I were brothers in arms, as close as two men could be. Well perhaps not by your definition, after all we never used each other as you would a woman. Not like he does with you."

Hassan reached out to grab Drake's face and Drake pulled away from him. "You don't want me to touch you? Very well, I won't for now, but soon.

As I said Drake and I were close. Did you know that we would hunt down catamites together. We found an ingenious way to kill them and make their deaths slow and agonizing. Listening to their screams was music to our ears."

Drake knew what Hassan was going to say, This was not something he was proud of, or that he wanted Scud to hear.

"Impalement. Thousands of years before Vlad Tepes made it...popular. Now there was a human I liked. Such brutality in him. Such a need to cause chaos. I served in his army for a while. He reminded me of Drake.

I taught him how to impale his victims so it could take days for them to die, but he came up with his own ideas too. When he locked those people in the banquet hall and set it on fire, it was almost like having Drake at my side again."

Drake closed his eyes. He was glad that Scud was being spared the litany of his sins. Hassan had intended to torture Scud by telling him this. Scud was being spared the torture but Drake felt shame for his actions. Granted they occurred after Sehkmet's death when the demon was out of control, but they had still occurred.

"You know you're not his first. He was in love once before, with a woman. She distracted him too. He wanted to spend eternity with her so he turned her. I had my familiars drag her out in the middle of the day, she burned to ash. But he made sure you were a daywalker like the two of us. You won't burn.

You know what I find amusing? All of his protests of undying love for her and he's replaced her easily enough with you. How long will he mourn for you? How quickly will he replace you?

My followers will be here soon. We will decide how to kill you, and Drake will once again be what he was meant to be."

* * *

Scud climbed out of the SUV and grabbed the sword. Five minutes to sunset. The timing was critical. He and Hannibal had to get there before Drake got hurt, but in time for the lesser vamps to rise. Abby checked her bow one last time while Hannibal slipped a spare magazine for the Glock in his pocket. They would have to trust that Blade was already inside.

"So how do we do this?" Hannibal asked. "Sneak in or what?"

"Does Blade sneak in?" Abby asked. When Hannibal just looked at her she added. "Drake is the oldest vampire in existence. He knows that every vamp walking the face of the earth is lesser than he is."

"We just have to walk in like we own the place." Scud said taking a deep breath. "That's what Drake and B would do."

"Guys, looks like we got suckheads headed this way." Abby said gesturing to the corner where a group was gathering.

* * *

"I thought he was so important to Drake." A female vamp commented to Hassan. "Drake doesn't seem to be too worried about him." She sneered give Drake a scathing look.

"Patience, Drake will come." Hassan said.

Hassan had his older followers inside the building. Outside the newly turned vamps waited. Hassan wasn't worried about them. They were cannon fodder after all. Those inside however were older vamps all personally turned by Hassan centuries ago.

Drake had identified each of them and for all their ego of being old they were still lesser. Interesting, Hassan even though Drake had personally turned him could only create lesser vamps. That made Drake feel better about what was to come.

Hassan had turned to speak with one of the other vamps when a window shattered and a body came flying through it. While the vamps had their attention turned Scud walked in the door carrying Drake's sword. "I thought I would give him back to you since he is yours. You know how I feel about traitors." Scud said.

Hassan took a good look at the vamp picking itself up off the ground. Wright, the guard that had been spying on them. Hassan turned back to drake to see that he was no longer alone, The daywalker had joined him.

" Working with the daywalker too, Drake? What has the worthless little catamite done to you?" Hassan asked. "We were like brothers, the humans worshiped us. We held their lives in our hands."

Hassan turned back to Scud only to find he wasn't handcuffed to the beam any longer. He was standing there calmly feeding on the female vamp that had spoken earlier. Hassan turned to Drake in shock. "You gave him that? You gave him the ability to feed off of vampires?"

Hassan was shocked when Scud dropped the vamp's weakened body to the floor and walked over to Drake who handed Scud the sword. "Hassan have you ever watched a Wiley Coyote cartoon?" Scud turned back toward him only it wasn't Scud that was speaking, it was Drake. "You remind me of Wiley, your ego knows no bounds. You think that you are smarter than everyone else."

Hassan realized what Drake meant. Josh was standing slightly behind Drake with a smirk on his face. That calm captive he had been taunting all afternoon had been Drake. "You. You took his place? But how did he?"

"When I turned him, I gave him everything you always wanted." Drake taunted. "Blade, you might want to give Abby and Hannibal a hand. Everything in this room except Hassan is a lesser vamp, Scud and I can handle it."

"I do believe you can." Blade chuckled glancing at Scud.

"Like I said Hassan, I gave Scud everything I withheld from you." Drake said stepping to the side to reveal the demon at his back.

* * *

Abby and Hannibal were holding their own. A few years of hunting with Blade had honed their skills. "Hannibal is it me our are they just pathetic?"

"They're pathethic." Hannibal said as he plunged a spike into another vamp. "Scud called them babies, newly turned. They don't know anything."

"I can see that." Abby said as a vamp looked on in shock as the vamp next to her turned to ash.

Catching sight of Blade, Hannibal asked "Are you going to give us a hand here Blade or just watch?"

Blade leaned against the side of the building. "You're doing fine on your own."

"This almost feels wrong. I mean I know their suckheads." Hannibal said as he shot one of the vamps. "But this is like shooting fish in a barrel. There are rules to their society. A sire is supposed to teach the ones they turn how to survive."

"He created them to die, nothing but bodies to slow Drake down when he came for Scud." Blade said pulling out a UV grenade and tossing it among the vampires.

* * *

Hassan turned and ran. He figured that his ancients could stall Drake and his little boyfriend long enough. Hassan had misjudged Drake. The only thing he saw in Drake's eyes was his own death. Many had tried to kill him over the centuries and none had succeeded but Drake had created him. If anyone could kill him, it would be Drake.

If Hassan was confused, his followers were completely befuddled. Hassan had assured them that this Josh was like Sehkmet. Docile and helpless. Instead this Josh was a fucking demon and a very pissed off demon at that.

"Chicken shits!" Scud growled. Grabbing the closest vamp to him, Scud sank his fangs into the vampires throat. When the vampire stopped struggling Scud dropped the body at his feet.

Hassan made it to the network of catwalks suspended over the warehouse floor. Looking down he saw the last of his followers drop from Drake's claws. At least Hassan thought it was Drake, he assumed the bigger demon would be Drake.

Scud looked around and seeing all of Hassan's followers weakly trying to crawl after their creator, He growled. Scud wasn't done with them yet. He lifted his head and looked around until he saw what he was looking for, the old emergency fire box. He walked over to it and smashed his fist into the glass grabbing the ax. Walking back to the closest vamp he raised the ax and brought it down across the vampires neck, separating the vamp's head from it's body. He laughed as he watched the body turn to ash.

Drake stalked across the catwalk in pursuit of Hassan, the only thought in his mind to end the vampire's existence. Yes they had been as close as brothers at one point, but Hassan had destroyed that relationship when he killed Sehkmet.

"Why are you running Hassan? Remember, we were as close as brothers. What possible reason could you have to fear me?" Drake asked. "Oh yes there's the little matter of you killing Sehkmet. Sehkmet who wouldn't hurt a fly, and you had her killed."

Hassan stopped running and turned to face Drake. "Sehkmet made you weak, just like she was. You could have ruled the world, but instead you let yourself get distracted by a woman and her charms. You spent your time listening to her recite poetry when we could have been conquering nations."

"And you would have been by my side? Is that what you wanted?" Drake snorted. "Did you think that you were special, that I had chosen you? You were an accident. I never meant to turn you but once I did, I couldn't bring myself to kill you. You were the only one like me until I figured out how to turn others.

I would never have placed you at my side, that was Sehkmet's place. You killed her out of jealousy. Sehkmet's death has remained unavenged for too long. It's time for you to atone for that." Drake took a step forward raising his sword.

"You won't kill me. Your honor won't let you." Hassan said.

"Normally you would be right but I have found that it's easy to discard my honor when I'm dealing with the dishonorable. You are dishonorable Hassan." Drake swung his sword sending the vampire's head spinning through the air as it turned to ash.

* * *

"So Hassan is dead." Blade noted. "Now what?" He asked glaring at Drake.

"You're welcome to stay. Hassan's death was only a part of our bargain." Drake said. "We agreed to help you with the lesser vamps."

"There's still the problem too many vamps to be supported by the human population." Scud added. "The nightstalkers need help in thinning the numbers. Talos has the resources to help and a secure location to base your operations out of.

You've been with us long enough to know how Drake and I live. Do you think we are really a threat?"

"No," Blade sighed. "I don't. The humans around you are happy for the most part and much better off than they would be without you."

" There are others like Hassan out there. Ancients that I created in my youth. You'll come up against them eventually." Drake said. "When you do Scud and I will help you fight them but in all honesty, we just want to be left alone to live our lives."

"You're talking a treaty." Blade said.

"Yes, I am. Between you and me. Scud's right about the size of the vampire population. Within a decade, vampires will outnumber humans. A decade or so after that humans will be extinct. I don't think either one of us wants that."

Blade thought a minute. "No we don't. Hannibal and Abby can stay to work with you." Blade turned and walked toward his car.

"We'll take good care of them." Drake said. "And If you ever need a safe haven from vamps or human police, call us."

Drake watched Blade drive off. He slipped his arms around Scud's shoulders, "Lets go home love. I think I remember something about making you scream..."


End file.
